UC-NRLF 


THE  DOG 


SB    33 


BY  'WESLEY  MIL 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


THE    DOG 

IN  HEALTH  AND  IN  DISEASE 


INCLUDING 

HIS  ORIGIN,  HISTORY,  VARIETIES,  BREEDING,  EDUCATION, 

AND  GENERAL  MANAGEMENT  IN  HEALTH, 

AND  HIS  TREATMENT  IN  DISEASE 


BY 

WESLEY  MILLS,  M.  A.,  M.  D.,  D.V.S.,  ETC. 

PROFESSOR  OP  PHYSIOLOGY  IN  THE  FACULTY  OF  HUMAN  MEDICINE 
AND  IN  THE  FACULTY  OF  COMPARATIVE  MEDICINE  AND  VETERINARY  SCIENCE 

OF  MC  GILL  UNIVERSITY,   MONTREAL  ; 

LECTURER  ON  CYNOLOGY  IN  THE  LATTER  FACULTY  ; 

AUTHOR  OF  ANIMAL  PHYSIOLOGY,  COMPARATIVE  PHYSIOLOGY, 

HOW  TO  KEEP  A  DOG  IN  THE  CITY,  ETC. 


WITH  FORTY-THREE  FULL-PAGE  CUTS,    ONE  COLORED  PLATE, 
AND  NUMEROUS  OTHER  ILLUSTRATIONS 


SECOND  EDITION,  REVISED  AND  ENLARGED 


NEW    YORK 

D.    APPLETON    AND    COMPANY 
1906 


COPYRIGHT,  1892,  1895, 
BY  D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY. 


All  rigJiU  reserved. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 


THAT  a  second  edition  of  this  work  has  been  called 
for  in  so  short  a  time  the  author  takes  to  be  evidence 
that  it  meets  a  want.  That  it  has  been  so  kindly  received 
by  the  press,  the  general  public,  and  the  veterinary  pro- 
fession, has  encouraged  him  to  do  his  best  to  bring  this 
second  edition  up  to  date  in  even  the  smallest  details. 
The  author  has  seen  no  reason  to  change  the  general  plan 
of  the  work,  which  he  still  deems  the  best  because  in 
accordance  with  the  laws  of  the  mind,  viz.,  that  the  nor- 
mal should  be  studied  before  the  abnormal  or  diseased; 
and  he  is  as  fully  as  ever  convinced  that  if  the  veterina- 
rian is  to  secure  the  confidence  of  the  public  as  regards 
canine  medicine,  he  must  give  evidence  of  a  knowledge 
of  dogs  as  dogs — i.  e.,  their  nature  and  varieties,  as  well 
as  their  diseased  conditions.  In  other  words,  the  vet- 
erinarian must  be  a  cynologist. 

Some  of  the  changes  in  this  edition  have  been  made 
in  deference  to  the  views  of  those  whose  authority  car- 
ries weight  in  regard  to  the  subjects  of  which  they 
speak;  others  have  been  necessitated  by  the  extraordi- 

iii 


iv  PREFACE  TO  THE  SECOND  EDITION. 

nary  advance  in  the  science  of  medicine  even  since  the 
date  of  publication  of  the  first  edition. 

In  addition  to  the  usual  corrections,  revisions,  etc.,  a 
glossary  of  terms  in  common  use  by  dog  fanciers  has 
been  introduced. 

An  effort  has  been  made  to  maintain  the  reputation 
the  work  has  won  on  account  of  the  high  character  and 
abundance  of  its  illustrations,  by  a  few  substitutions  of 
more  modern  specimens  and  the  addition  of  several  full- 
page  cuts  of  breeds  of  dogs  not  illustrated  in  the  first  edi- 
tion. For  the  originals  of  these  the  author  is  indebted  to 
several  persons  who  kindly  allowed  the  use  of  cuts  for  the 
first  edition,  and  also  to  Mr.  James  L.  Little,  of  Brook- 
line,  Mass. ;  Mr.  H.  B.  Donovan,  editor  of  the  Canadian 
Kennel  Gazette,  Toronto;  Mr.  L.  A.  Klein,  of  Black 
Lake;  Mr.  MacHaffie,  of  Cornwall,  and  others. 

The  index  has  also  been  rendered  more  complete,  so 
that  it  is  believed  that  the  work  will  be  found  thor- 
oughly accurate  and  up  to  date  in  all  respects. 

The  author  is  led  to  hope  that  the  book  will  be 
found  worthy  of  the  confidence  of  the  general  reader 
and  of  students  and  practitioners  of  veterinary  medicine 
in  the  future  as  it  has  in  the  past. 

THE  AUTHOJB. 
McGiLL  UNIVERSITY,  MONTREAL, 
September,  1895. 


PEEFAOE. 


WITH  none  of  our  friends  and  helpers  among  the  lower 
animals  would  we  part  so  reluctantly  as  with  the  dog. 
~No  speechless  associate  of  man  has  ever  so  entwined  itself 
around  the  very  roots  of  our  domestic  life  as  the  dog; 
none  has  won  so  much  admiration,  confidence,  and  affec- 
tion ;  none  has  appealed  to  so  large  a  number  of  mankind 
of  every  condition,  age,  and  sex.  It  will  therefore  be 
conceded  that  so  noble,  so  intelligent,  and  so  faithful  an 
animal  as  the  dog  is  entitled  to  the  most  complete  un- 
derstanding and  the  best  usage  of  which  we  are  capable. 

The  professional  treatment  of  the  dog  in  disease  natu- 
rally falls  to  the  veterinarian ;  but  inasmuch  as  this  ani- 
mal is  very  different  in  his  nature  from  the  horse  and 
other  herbivora  which  engage  the  chief  attention  of  the 
veterinary  profession,  it  follows  that  if  the  dog  is  to  be 
treated  on  a  rational  basis,  he  must  be  made  a  subject  of 
special  study  by  the  veterinarian.  A  knowledge  of  equine 
medicine  goes  but  a  little  way  to  qualify  a  man  to  treat 
the  dog,  and  the  sooner  this  is  recognized  by  the  profes- 
sion of  comparative  (veterinary)  medicine,  the  better  will  it 
be  for  both  the  profession  and  our  canine  friends.  If  the 
veterinarian  hopes  to  largely  acquire  the  confidence  of  the 


vi  PREFACE. 

public  as  regards  dogs,  lie  must  show  not  only  that  he  has 
some  grasp  of  medicine  as  medicine,  but  a  special  knowl- 
edge of  the  nature,  varieties,  and  peculiarities  of  dogs. 
The  dog  must  be  understood  in  health  before  his  ailments 
can  be  well  appreciated  and  treated,  and  the  more  intelli- 
gent body  of  breeders  and  owners  of  dogs  thoroughly  real- 
ize this.  The  consciousness  that  there  was  no  book  treating 
of  the  dog  in  disease  that  recognized  adequately  the  princi- 
ples just  set  forth ;  a  strong  desire  to  better  the  condition 
of  this  noble  animal,  that  for  the  greater  part  of  the  writer's 
life  he  has  studied  with  pleasure  and  profit  to  his  own 
nature ;  and  an  intimate  knowledge  of  the  condition  and 
needs  of  the  veterinary  profession,  explains  the  origin  of 
this  book,  so  far  as  the  latter  is  concerned.  The  writer's 
experience  as  a  teacher  of  canine  medicine — or  rather  of 
the  nature  of  the  dog  in  both  health  and  disease,  for  which 
the  term  cynology  is  an  appropriate  one — has  convinced 
him  that  the  study  of  the  dog  in  disease  should  for  veter- 
inary students,  as  others,  be  preceded  by  his  study  in 
health,  with  as  much  thoroughness  as  circumstances  will 
permit ;  hence  the  large  amount  of  space  given  to  the  sub- 
ject of  the  first  part  of  this  work. 

But  the  book  is  by  no  means  intended  for  students 
and  practitioners  of  veterinary  science  alone.  It  is  meant 
for  all  intelligent  persons  who  breed,  keep,  or  in  any 
way  take  a  special  interest  in  the  dog.  Their  number  is 
very  large,  and  is  constantly  increasing.  "While,  there- 
fore, the  whole  work  has  a  scientific  foundation,  it  has 
been  kept  as  free  from  technicalities  as  possible,  and  will, 
it  is  hoped,  be  readily  comprehensible  by  every  intelli- 
gent person. 


PREFACE.  yii 

It  has  been  the  aim  constantly  to  set  forth  the  princi- 
ples that  underlie  the  management  of  the  dog  in  health 
and  his  treatment  in  disease,  as  by  this  course  the  individ- 
ual reader  is  left  free  to  exercise  his  own  judgment  while 
guided  by  a  sort  of  mariner's  compass  the  construction  of 
which  is  based  on  the  well-ascertained  laws  of  life.  It  has 
further  been  the  writer's  aim  to  bring  the  book  thoroughly 
up  to  date  in  all  respects — hence  the  illustrations  represent 
noted  dogs  of  the  day ;  and  the  medical  principles  and 
practice  are  modern  and  adapted  to  the  real  nature  of  the 
dog  himself,  and  not  to  that  of  some  other  animal  unlike 
him,  as  the  horse,  etc. 

At  the  same  time  it  has  been  thought  well,  so  far  as 
drugs  are  concerned,  to  avoid  reference  to  such  medicines 
as  are  now  on  trial  merely,  and  with  the  virtues  and  dan- 
gers of  which  we  are  as  yet  but  indifferently  acquainted  as 
regards  man,  much  less  the  dog.  This  applies  especially 
to  that  now  large  class  known  as  antipyretics.  They  should 
be  carefully  tried  on  the  dog  by  the  expert ;  but  to  recom- 
mend them  explicitly  in  a  work  of  this  kind  seemed  to 
the  author  hazardous. 

But,  leaving  out  of  account  the  second  part  of  the 
work,  the  first  part  will,  it  is  thought,  be  in  itself  a  valu- 
able treatise  on  a  new  basis — i.  e.,  a  more  rational  basis 
—  on  the  dog  as  he  exists  to-day.  It  has  been  the 
writer's  constant  endeavor  to  give  the  reason  for  every 
procedure. 

Being  deeply  convinced  that  a  work  on  the  dog  with- 
out good  illustrations  is  of  comparatively  little  value,  es- 
pecial pains  have  been  taken  to  furnish  models  for  judg- 
ing the  various  breeds  of  dogs  in  the  full-page  plates. 


PREFACE. 

representing  the  best  specimens  as  they  exist  at  the  present 
time.  In  selecting  these,  only  one  thing  has  been  kept  in 
view — viz.,  choosing  those  that  seemed  the  very  best,  irre- 
spective of  every  other  consideration.  Most  of  them  have 
never  appeared  in  any  book  on  the  dog  before,  but  have 
been  culled  from  the  leading  journals  devoted  to  canine 
interests  in  Great  Britain  and  America,  such  as  the  "  Ca- 
nine World,"  from  which  the  colored  plate  and  several 
others  are  borrowed ;  the  "  English  Stock-keeper,"  and  in 
America  the  "American  Kennel  Gazette,"  which  has 
furnished  the  illustrations  of  the  pointer  "Bracket,"  the 
mastiff  "  Beaufort,"  etc.,  the  artist  of  this  periodical  being 
Mr.  G.  Muss-Arnolt. 

The  sources  of  the  cuts  in  the  text  are  acknowledged 
by  the  way. 

While  the  author  has  endeavored  to  produce  a  book 
founded  on  experience,  with  a  thoroughly  sound  and  scien- 
tific basis,  in  every  way  up  to  date  and  on  a  somewhat  new 
plan,  he  realizes  that  there  is  much  yet  to  learn  about  the 
dog,  and  will  receive  with  gratitude  suggestions  from  any 
one  who  has  true  and  accurate  observations  to  communi- 
cate. 

This,  like  every  work  and  every  man,  has  no  doubt  its 
shortcomings,  but  the  kind  way  in  which  much  that  the 
author  has  written  for  various  journals  devoted  to  dogs 
has  been  received,  and  also  his  little  book,  "  How  to  keep 
a  Dog  in  the  City"  (William  E.  Jenkins,  New  York, 
and  the  Editor  of  the  "Canadian  Kennel  Gazette,"  To- 
ronto, publishers),  leads  him  to  hope  for  a  generous  re- 
ception of  this  work  by  the  veterinary  profession,  breeders 
of  dogs,  and  the  public  in  general. 


PREFACE.  ix 

In  conclusion,  the  writer  wishes  to  express  his  apprecia- 
tion of  the  successful  efforts  of  the  publishers  in  the  pro- 
duction of  the  work,  including  the  illustrations,  in  such  ad- 
mirable form. 

THE  AUTHOR. 
MONTEEAL,  November,  1891. 


CONTENTS. 


PAET  I.    THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

PAOK 

THE  ORIGIN  AND  HISTORY  OF  THE  DOG 1 

THE  ZOOLOGICAL  POSITION  OF  THE  DOG 6 

Anatomy  of  the  Dog 6 

Variations 9 

The  Animal  Body 10 

PSYCHIC  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  DOG 15 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS 18 

CLASS  I. — Wild  and  Half-Reclaimed  Dogs,  etc 19 

Standards 21 

Standards  further  considered 25 

CLASS  II. — Dogs  hunting  chiefly  by  the  Eye,  etc.         ...  34 

The  English  Greyhound 34 

The  Deerhound 36 

The  Russian  Wolfhound  or  Barzoi 37 

CLASS  III. — Domesticated  Dogs,  hunting  by  Scent,  which  both 

find  and  kill  their  Game 38 

The  Bloodhound 38 

The  Foxhound 39 

The  Harrier        .        . 41 

The  Beagle 41 

The  Otterhound 42 

The  Bassethound 43 

The  Dachshund 43 

The  Great  Dane 43 

The  Terriers 45 

The  Fox-terrier .  48 

The  Irish  Terrier .  49 

The  Black-and-tan  Terrier 50 

xi 


ii  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

The  Yorkshire  Terrier 52 

The  Scotch  Terriers 53 

The  Bull  Terrier 55 

Other  Breeds  of  Terriers 55 

The  Welsh  Terrier .56 

The  Airedale  Terrier  .  .  .  .  .  '  .  .  .  .56 
The  Dandie  Dinmont  Terrier  .  .  ,  .  .  .  .  56 
The  Bedlington  Terrier  .  .  .  .  ...  .  57 

The  Paisley  Terrier .        .58 

The  Clydesdale  Terrier 58 

The  Maltese  Terrier 58 

CLASS  IV. — Domesticated  Dogs,  finding  their  Game  by  Scent 

but  not  killing  it,  etc 59 

The  Spaniels       .        .        .        .        ...      V.        .        .69 

The  Cocker  Spaniel 69 

The  Clumber  Spaniel          .        .        .        .        .        .        .        .71 

The  Irish  Water  Spaniel    .        .        .....        .        .72 

The  Retrievers .        .        .        .73 

Differences  between  the  Breeds 73 

The  Chesapeake  Bay  Dog 74 

The  Dalmatian 74 

The  Poodle 75 

CLASS  V. — Pastoral  Dogs,  etc 76 

Sheep  Dogs 76 

The  Rough  Collie 77 

The  Smooth  Collie 77 

The  Bob-tailed  Sheep  Dog 78 

The  Pomeranian,  Spitz,  or  Loup-Loup 78 

The  Black  Newfoundland 78 

Other  Varieties  of  Newfoundland 79 

The  Esquimau  Dog 80 

CLASS  VI.— Watch-Dogs  and  House-Dogs 80 

The  Bulldog 81 

The  Mastiff 83 

The  St.  Bernard 86 

The  Toy  Dogs 89 

The  Pug 90 

The  Toy  Spaniels 91 

Color  Varieties 93 

The  Italian  Greyhound 92 

The  Schipperke 92 

The  Whippet '  *       .      93 

The  Mexican  Hairless  Dog 93 


CONTENTS.  xiil 

PA  OB 

THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  DOGS  IN  HEALTH     .'•  «,      ...       .       .  94 

The  Housing  of  Dogs         .        .       .       .       .       .        .        .  96 

Feeding      .        .        .        ...       ..       ..     \.       .       .        .  101 

EXERCISE  AND  OCCUPATION       .       ,       *      •»       v       •       •       .  114 

THE  CARE  OF  THE  DOG'S  SKIN        .       .       .       .      v      ,       .  117 

BREEDING  .        .        , .    •',.       .  ,     .       .        .       .       ^       ,       .  125 

Mating        .        .        .        .        .        •        •        •        .        .        .  131 

THE  CARE  OF  THE  STUD  DOG .       .  134 

THE  CARE  OF  THE  BROOD  BITCH 135 

WHELPING 141 

CHOICE  OF  PUPPIES 145 

THE  FOSTER-MOTHER 147 

THE  BEARING  OF  PUPPIES 150 

THE  CARE  OF  THE  BROOD  BITCH  AFTER  WHELPING      .        .        .  148 

WEANING  PUPPIES 152 

FEEDING  PUPPIES 156 

OTHER  MANAGEMENT  OF  PUPPIES 158 

EXERCISE  AND  TRAINING  OF  PUPPIES 161 

Retrieving 167 

Gun-shyness 168 

Exercise  of  Puppies 169 

THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  DOG;  DETERMINATION  OF  AGE  .       .  171 

Shedding  of  the  Teeth 175 

GLOSSARY 177a 

PART  II.    THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

GENERAL  PRINCIPLES 178 

The  Causes  of  Disease 182 

NORMAL  TEMPERATURE  OF  THE  DOG 184 

FEVER 187 

THE  PULSE 187 

THE  METHODS  OF  STUDYING  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE         .       .       .  189 

REMEDIES  AND  THEIR  MODE  OF  USE 192 

DRUGS  AND  THEIR  ADMINISTRATION 193 

DIET  AND  CARE  OF  THE  SICK 198 

DISINFECTION 200 

AUTOPSIES  AND  MORBID  ANATOMY 201 

DESCRIPTIONS  OF  DISEASE,  RELATIVE  PREVALENCE,  ETC.        .        .  206 

DISEASES  OF  THE  RESPIRATORY  ORGANS 209 

Influenza  .       » 215 

Acute  Laryngitis 216 

Pleurisy 217 

Bronchitis  .  ...  221 


xiv  CONTENTS. 

PAGE 

Pneumonia 222 

Asthma 230 

Tuberculosis 231 

LOCAL  AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  NASAL  PASSAGES 232 

Nasal  Catarrh 232 

Ozaena 234 

DISEASES  OF  THE  BLOOD  AND  CIRCULATORY  SYSTEM      .       .       .  237 

BLOOD  DISEASES        .       •   '    •       „»       .       .       .       .       .  239 

Anaemia      .        «        .       »       *        .        »     -,     W       .        .239 

Plethora     ,       »       ,       .        .        .       >       ',-      •«.     .  „'       .  240 

HEART-DISEASE.       ,       »       .       ,       ,       ,       -.       *       .       .  240 

Hypertrophy       .        .        .        .        •       »        •      •*        .        .  241 

DISEASES  OF  THE  BLOOD-VESSELS    .       »  *     ,      -.       .       *       .  242 

Aneurism    .        •       »        .        .        *        «-'       » •     -.        .        .242 

DISEASES  OF  VEINS -  »- — .  242 

DISEASES  OF  LYMPHATICS  AND  OF  CERTAIN  GLANDS       .        .        .  243 

Bronchocele  or  Goitre 243 

DISEASES  OF  THE  ALIMENTARY  TRACT 244 

AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  MOUTH 247 

Warts .        •        *        .  247 

Salivary  Glands .248 

The  Teeth .249 

Inflammation  of  the  Tongue 250 

Blain  .        * 250 

Pharyngitis 251 

FUNCTIONAL  DISORDERS  OF  THE  DIGESTIVE  ORGANS       .        .        .  251 

Salivation   ...» 251 

Vomiting 251 

A  Capricious  Appetite 252 

Irregularities  of  the  Bowels 253 

Obstruction 254 

Constipation 254 

Colic    .....< 256 

INFLAMMATORY  AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  DIGESTIVE  ORGANS         «.       .  257 

FUNCTIONAL  DISEASE  OF  THE  LIVER 266 

Jaundice 266 

ORGANIC  AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  LIVER        ......  267 

Hepatitis 267 

Chronic  Hepatitis 268 

DEGENERATION  OF  THE  LIVER 268 

CANCER  OF  ABDOMINAL  ORGANS       .        .        ,        .       ,       »       .  269 

INTESTINAL  OBSTRUCTION 270 

DISEASED  CONDITIONS  AROUND  THE  ANUS                                      ,  271 


CONTENTS.  xv 

PAGK 

Prolapse  of  the  Rectum  . 271 

Piles 272 

Growths  around  the  Anus 274 

Perineal  Abscess  and  Fistula  in  ano 274 

DISEASES  OF  THE  URINARY  SYSTEM 275 

Retention  of  Urine  .  ,  ,  ,  * 276 

Acute  Cystitis  ...  .  * 278 

Chronic  Cystitis .  ,  »  .  ,  ,  .  .  ••  .  .  279 
Nephritis  .  .  .  ,  «  .  ,  *  .  .  .279 
Renal  Calculus  .  *  .  .  .  .  »  .  .279 

Cystic  Calculus 279 

DISEASES  OF  THE  GENITAL  ORGANS 280 

Balanitis  .  ....  * 281 

Morbid  Growths 284 

Prolapse  of  the  Vagina 284 

Metritis 285 

COMPLICATIONS  INCIDENT  TO  PARTURITION 288 

Malpresentations  .  .  . 289 

Post-partum  Fever 291 

DISEASES  OF  THE  EAR .  .  .  295 

Canker  ....  * 296 

Otitis  Media  .  .  .  *  * 300 

Deafness  ..,,,* 301 

Polypus 301 

DISEASES  OF  THE  EYE 302 

Diseases  of  the  Protective  Apparatus  of  the  Eye  .  .  .  305 

Inflammation  and  Abscess  of  the  Lachrymal  Gland  .  .  306 

The  Lachrymal  Ducts  ........  306 

Conjunctivitis 306 

Ophthalmia .307 

Ulcers  of  the  Cornea 309 

Granular  Lids 310 

Iritis 310 

Cataract 311 

Amaurosis  and  Amblyopia .311 

Dislocation 312 

Squint 312 

DISEASES  OF  THE  NERVOUS  SYSTEM 312 

Rabies  (Hydrophobia) 313 

Convulsions,  Epilepsy,  Fits,  Apoplexy 318 

Epileptiform  Convulsions 319 

Vertigo 321 

Apoplexy 321 


XVI 


CONTENTS. 


Paralysis 321 

Meningitis 322 

Hydrocephalus .        .  324 

Tetanus 324 

Chorea         .        .        .                .       *       ;•••      .        ,        .        .  325 
Injuries  to  the  Brain  .        ....        .        .        .        .327 

Affections  of  the  Nerves 328 

Neuralgia 328 

DISEASES  OF  THE  SKIN 329 

Ringworm 332 

Follicular  Mange 332 

Sarcoptic  Mange .332 

Eczema 333 

INTERNAL  PARASITES  OR  WORMS 345 

EXTERNAL  PARASITES .  356 

CONSTITUTIONAL  DISEASES 359 

Erysipelas 359 

Diphtheria 361 

Dropsy 302 

Rickets 363 

Rheumatism 365 

Distemper 367 

SURGERY  OF  THE  DOG 380 

Anaesthesia 381 

Antisepsis 382 

Cuts 383 

Sprains  and  Bruises 384 

Burns  and  Scalds 384 

Fractures  and  Dislocations 385 

Cutting  Operations 386 

Castration  and  Spaying 387 

Umbilical  Hernia 387 

POISONING 388 

Stings 892 

SANITARY  AND  MEDICAL  ASPECTS  OF  DOG  SHOWS  ....  393 

TABLE  OF  DOSES  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  DRUGS   .                              .  896 


FULL-PAGE    ILLUSTEATIONS. 


FACE  PAGE 

COLORED  PLATE  OP  THE  GREAT  DANE  IVANHOE      .    Frontispiece 

THE  GREYHOUND   FuLLERTON     ........  10 

THE  SCOTTISH  DEERHOUND  RONA  III 16 

THE  IRISH  WOLFHOUND  SHEELAH     .......  24 

THE  RUSSIAN  WOLFHOUND  KRILUTT 32 

THE  BLOODHOUND  CHAMPION  CROMWELL 40 

THE  BEAGLE   CHAMPION  RlNGWOOD 48 

THE  BASSETHOUND  CHAMPION  CHOPETTE 52 

THE  GERMAN  DACHSHUND  ISOLANI-FRANCONIA       ....  56 

THE  ROUGH  ENGLISH  DACHSHUND  WOOLSACK 60 

THE  SMOOTH-COATED  FOX-TERRIER  CHAMPION  BLEMTON  VICTOR  II  .  64 

THE  ROUGH-COATED  FOX-TERRIERS  JACK  ST.   LiEGER  AND  JlGGER  .  72 

THE  IRISH  TERRIER  PILGRIM 80 

THE  WHITE  ENGLISH  TERRIER  ECLIPSE 88 

THE  YORKSHIRE  TERRIER  CHAMPION  TED 96 

THE  SCOTTISH  TERRIER  ARGYLE 104 

THE  SKYE  TERRIER  THURKILL 120 

THE  BULL-TERRIER.  STREATHAM  MONARCH 136 

THE  BOSTON  TERRIER  PRINCE  WALNUT 140 

THE  WELSH  TERRIER  BRYNHIR  PARDON  .       .       .       .       .       •  144 
THE  AIREDALE  TERRIERS  CHAMPION  NEWBOLD  TEST  AND  CHAMPION 

VIXEN  III  .       .       i 152 

THE  BEDLINGTON  TERRIER  CHAMPION  HUMBLEDON  BLUE  BOY       .  160 

THE  POINTER  CHAMPION  BRACKET •  176 

THE  ENGLISH  SETTER  CHAMPION  DAD  WILSON       •       •       •       •  184 
2                                     xvii 


xviii  FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS. 

FACE  PAGE 

THE  IRISH  SETTER  GERALDINE  II 192 

THE  GORDON  SETTER  CHAMPION  BELLMONT 208 

THE  BLACK  FIELD  SPANIEL  CHAMPION  BUCKLE        .       .       .       .216 
THE  COCKER  SPANIELS  BLACK  DUKE  AND  OTHELLO       .       .    224,  230 

THE  CLUMBER  SPANIEL  FRIAR  Boss 240 

THE  IRISH  WATER  SPANIEL  CHAMPION  SHAUN 256 

THE  WAVY-COATED  RETRIEVER  DARENTH.       .       .       .       .       .  264 

THE  BLACK-SPOTTED  DALMATIAN  BfiROLINA 280 

THE  BLACK  POODLE  ACHILLES 300 

THE  ROUGH-COATED  COLLIE  SEFTON  HERO 312 

THE  BOB-TAIL  SHEEP  DOGS  GRIZZLE  BOB  AND  DAIRY  MAID  .       .  320 

THE  NEWFOUNDLAND  MARINER 328 

THE  BULLDOGS  THE  GRAVEN  IMAGE,  HOLY  TERROR,  AND  BATHOS  344 

THE  MASTIFF  CHAMPION  BEAUFORT  .       .        .       .       •       .       .  352 

THE  ROUGH-COATED  ST.  BERNARD  CHAMPION  SIR  BEDIVERE  .        .  368 

THE  PUG  CHAMPION  LORIS 376 

THE  RUBY  SPANIEL  RUBY  KING       .       .       .       .       •    *    •       .384 

THE  ITALIAN  GREYHOUNDS  WINKS  AND  IDIOM         .        .       •       .  388 

THE  SCHIPPERKES  MIA  AND  DRIESKE 392 


PAET    I. 
THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 


THE  ORIGIN  AND  HISTORY  OF  THE  DOG. 

IN  order  to  understand  an  individual  of  any  species  of 
animals,  it  is  important  not  only  to  know  the  circumstances 
under  which  it  lives,  but  its  past  history  ;  and  the  further 
and  the  more  completely  this  can  be  traced  the  better,  in- 
asmuch as  the  particular  animal  under  consideration  may 
be  regarded  as  the  outcome  or  resultant  of  a  vast  number 
of  forces  extending  back  in  fact  to  the  origin  of  life  itself. 

To  illustrate,  suppose  one  finds  that  a  certain  grey- 
hound for  several  successive  years  wins  in  the  old-estab- 
lished English  courses,  we  inquire  why  this  particular  dog 
has  won.  He  may  not  seem  superior  in  form  of  body  to 
others  that  he  surpasses  in  speed,  but  it  is  perhaps  found 
that  in  his  ancestry  there  is  a  long  line  of  those  that  have 
excelled  in  this  respect.  This  goes  a  long  way  to  explain 
the  pre-eminence  of  this  dog.  Then  we  may  take  up  the 
general  superiority  in  fleetness  of  this  breed,  and  this  leads 
to  its  origin  and  history.  For  ages  the  best  and  swiftest 
have  been  chosen  to  breed  from,  and  in  all  probability,  from 
the  earliest  times  that  man  possessed  the  dog,  this  process 


2  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

of  selection  of  the  best  was  going  on,  consciously  or  uncon- 
sciously. 

There  was  an  ancient  race  of  hounds  not  very  unlike 
the  present  swift  coursers  in  essential  particulars.  Is  the 
breed  used  in  the  British  Islands  in  any  way  related  to 
the  Eoman  hounds  by  descent,  or  have  both  arisen  inde- 
pendently ? 

The  characteristics  of  the  greyhound,  then,  can  not  be 
understood  apart  from  his  history,  nor  from  his  origin. 
But  regarding  him  simply  as  a  dog,  one  of  the  large  family 
of  the  Canidce,  what  has  been  as  yet  considered  does  not 
explain  much. 

Hence  the  necessity,  if  we  would  understand  this  grey- 
hound as  a  dog,  to  inquire  into  the  origin  of  the  family 
group  to  which  he  belongs.  In  other  words,  we  must 
seek  for  a  more  distant  ancestry  and  learn  if  possible  its 
history. 

The  subject  has  been  very  carefully  studied  by  Charles 
Darwin,  and  no  better  treatment  has  been  given  it  than 
may  be  found  in  his  work,  "Animals  and  Plants  under 
Domestication."  Briefly,  the  origin  of  the  dog  has  been 
referred  to  the  following  sources :  All  the  various  breeds 
of  dogs  are  believed  by  some  to  have  descended  from 
some  single  wild  species  of  animal,  while  others  hold  that 
the  evidence  of  descent  from  several  is  stronger.  Some 
think  the  dog  has  been  derived  from  several  species,  ex- 
tinct and  recent,  more  or  less  mingled.  Some  would  refer 
the  dog  to  the  wolf,  the  jackal,  or  some  unknown  extinct 
species. 

No  view  of  the  origin  of  the  dog  can  be  considered 
as  proved ;  nevertheless,  some  are  much  more  probable 


THE  ORIGIN  AND  HISTORY  OF  THE  DOG,  3 

than  others.  Yery  few  would  now  hold  to  a  theory — at 
one  time  more  acceptable — that  all  the  principal  varieties 
of  dogs  were  derived  from  a  distinct  wild  ancestral 
species. 

In  favor  of  the  view  that  the  dogs  of  the  present  and 
the  past  historical  period  were  derived  from  several,  or, 
at  all  events,  more  than  one  wild  species,  may  be  men- 
tioned the  following : 

1.  The  great  difference,  especially  in  form,  of  the  dif- 
ferent breeds  of  dogs. 

2.  At  the  most  anciently-known  historical  period  sev- 
eral breeds  existed  resembling  wild  breeds  then  living. 

Breeds  of  dogs  allied  to  greyhounds  are  figured  on 
Egyptian  monuments  between  3400  B.  c.  and  2100  B.  c., 
though  there  is  evidence  that  besides  these  breeds  there 
were,  thousands  of  years  before  our  time,  pariah  dogs, 
greyhounds,  other  hounds,  house-dogs,  mastiffs,  lap-dogs, 
turnspits,  etc.,  which  bear  no  small  resemblance  to  the 
breeds  of  the  present  day;  but  there  is  not  evidence  to 
prove  that  these  subvarieties  are  identical  with  those  of 
the  present  time.  But  long  before  the  historical  period 
in  Europe  there  is  evidence  that  man  possessed  the  dog. 
The  resemblance  of  dogs,  in  different  parts  of  the  world, 
to  wild  species  of  animals,  is  suggestive  of  a  multiple 
origin — i.  e.,  an  origin  from  several  wild  stocks.  Con- 
sidering man's  sociable  nature,  the  tendency  of  many  wild 
species  resembling  our  dogs  to  hunt  in  packs — which 
animals  are  more  readily  tamed — the  attempt  to  tame  the 
young  of  such  species  can  be  readily  understood,  and  its 
success  would  be  followed  by  fresh  attempts  as  soon  as  it 
was  perceived  how  useful  they  might  be  in  the  chase, 


4  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

which  was  the  chief  occupation  of  primitive  and  uncivil- 
ized men. 

That  the  dogs  possessed  by  the  aborigines  of  North 
America  bear  a  close  resemblance  to  the  various  kinds 
of  wolves  found  wild  in  these  regions  is  a  matter  of 
frequent  observation.  It  is  further  well  known  that  the 
dogs  of  the  natives  breed  freely  with  wolves,  and  the 
same  remarks  apply  to  some  breeds  of  dogs  of  Europe 
and  other  parts  of  the  world.  There  is  equally  good  evi- 
dence to  believe  that  some  breeds  of  dogs  are  to  be  re- 
ferred to  the  jackal.  Upon  the  whole,  it  would  seem  prob- 
able that  "  the  domestic  dogs  of  the  world  are  descended 
from  two  well-defined  species  of  wolf  (viz.,  Canis  lupus 
and  Canis  latrans\  and  from  two  or  three  other  doubt- 
ful species  (namely,  the  European,  Indian,  and  North  Af- 
rican wolves) ;  from  at  least  one  or  two  South  American 
canine  species ;  from  several  races  or  species  of  jackal ; 
and  perhaps  from  one  or  more  extinct  species  "  (Darwin). 

But  this  origin  of  the  dog  being  only  probable  and 
not  demonstrable,  we  are  entitled  to  ask  whether  it  makes 
the  nature  of  the  dog  as  we  know  it  to-day  more  intelli- 
gible than  the  theory  that  he  is  derived  from  some  wild 
forms  long  since  extinct  and  of  which  we  know  little  or 
nothing.  In  other  words,  referring  to  our  illustration,  is 
the  greyhound  more  readily  understood  as  a  dog  and  as 
a  courser  on  this  hypothesis  of  origin  from  some  wild 
forms  now  existing  ?  "Without  going  into  details  at  this 
time,  we  agree  with  those  who  think  that  without  some 
such  theory  the  chain  of  natural  connections  can  not  be 
forged,  but  that  with  it  a  flood  of  light  is  thrown  on  the 
whole  nature  of  the  dog,  even  to  his  minutest  traits  and 


THE  ORIGIN  AND  HISTORY  OF  THE  DOG.  5 

habits.  This  is  rendered  clearer  when  the  changes  in  th( 
habits  and  instincts  of  the  supposed  wild  ancestors  of  the 
dog  under  confinement  and  domestication  are  considered, 
and  the  corresponding  change  in  dogs  when  they  become 
feral.  Thus  most  of  the  wild  forms  alluded  to,  strictly 
speaking,  do  not  bark  as  the  dog ;  but  cases  are  on  record 
that  show  that  such  wild  forms  may  learn  to  bark  in  con- 
finement, while  dogs  that  have  become  feral  lose  this  trait, 
and  so  with  many  other  characteristics  of  the  dog. 

The  great  diversity  of  physical  and  psychic  character- 
istics in  the  different  breeds  of  dogs  is  to  be  explained 
by  crossing,  selection,  and  environment. 

Crossing  tends  to  modify  in  all  respects  the  existing 
form  and  character,  selection  to  fix  a  type,  and  environ- 
ment to  alter  particularly  the  more  transient  or  less 
permanent  characteristics,  and  produce  strains,  or  those 
combinations  of  form  and  qualities  more  difficult  to  de- 
tect and  often  affecting  the  vitality  of  the  breed. 

To  illustrate  the  last  statements :  a  highly-bred  bulldog 
was  crossed  with  a  similarly  well-bred  greyhound,  with 
the  result  that,  in  a  few  generations,  the  bulldog  form  was 
scarcely  discernible,  though  the  effects  were  manifest  in 
the  stamina  and  psychic  characteristics  for  many  genera- 
tions. This  interesting  experiment  is  given  at  length  in 
Stonehenge's  work  on  the  dog,  and  illustrated  by  cuts  of 
the  animals  produced.  That  the  greyhound  is  such  a 
specialist  is  doubtless  owing  to  the  fact  that,  for  a  long 
period  in  Britain  alone,  he  has  been  used  for  the  sole 
purpose  of  coursing  rabbits,  in  connection  with  which  pub- 
lic competitions  have  been  instituted,  leading  to  choice 
of  those  best  suited  for  breeding  purposes  and  the  great- 


6  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

est  care  in  selection  and  rearing — that  is,  the  puppies  are, 
at  a  certain  age,  retained  or  rejected  according  to  the  merit 
they  display.  Long  before  this,  Nature  will  have  weeded 
out  those  that  were  feeble  and  unresisting  ;  in  other  words, 
those  perish  that  have  insufficient  stamina  by  a  process  of 
"  natural  selection,"  as  opposed  to  the  previous  kind  of 
selection  by  man,  or  "  artificial  selection." 

By  the  environment  is  meant  the  whole  combination  of 
circumstances  that  enters  into  the  life  of  the  animal — as 
food,  housing,  exercise,  climate,  etc. — in  fact,  everything 
not  implied  in  breeding  and  selection. 

Even  those  extremes  of  form  seen  in  the  gigantic  St. 
Bernard  of  two  hundred  pounds  and  the  toy  terrier  of  five 
pounds  are  to  be  explained  chiefly  on  the  above  principles, 
though  of  course  a  possible  origin  from  different  wild 
forms  complicates  the  problem.  Great  as  is  the  influence 
of  environment,  greater  by  far  are  the  effects  of  crossing 
and  selection,  as  every  breeder  of  experience  knows. 

The  history  of  the  different  breeds  of  dogs  is  involved 
in  so  much  obscurity  that  there  is  little  agreement  on  this 
subject.  But  it  is  very  doubtful  if  any  people,  savage  or 
civilized,  has  been  without  the  dog,  while  it  seems  equally 
probable  that  this  noble  animal  will  continue  to  be  man's 
companion  as  long  as  human  nature  endures. 

THE  ZOOLOGICAL  POSITION  OF  THE  DOG. 

His  Anatomy. — Whether  the  origin  of  the  dog  be  as 
above  described  or  not,  his  structure  justifies  placing  him 
among  the  carnivora. 

This  is  especially  evident  in  the  teeth,  which  are 
adapted  for  seizing,  tearing,  and  cutting  rather  than  grind- 


THE  ZOOLOGICAL  POSITION  OF  THE  DOG.  7 

ing,  as  may  be  readily  observed  by  comparing  the  teeth  of 
the  dog  (pages  1Y4  and  1Y5)  with  those  of  some  ruminant 
like  the  ox.  Moreover,  while  the  jaws  of  the  ruminant 
have  very  free  fore-and-aft  and  lateral  movements,  those  of 
the  dog  are  restricted  almost  wholly  to  the  vertical  plane. 

Such  teeth,  moreover,  are  the  principal  weapons  of 
defense  and  attack  in  the  dog  as  in  other  carnivora. 

The  limbs  have  freely  movable  toes  or  digits  armed 
with  strong  and  sharp  claws. 

Mostly  the  carnivora  are  digitigrade,  have  a  strong 
odor,  are  widely  distributed,  and  have  a  two-horned  uterus, 
all  of  which  applies  to  the  dog,  even  to  the  odor  which 
is  so  pronounced  in  some  breeds  that  in  the  house  they  are 
unpleasant  companions,  though  this  feature  can  be  greatly 
modified  by  feeding,  etc. 

On  the  next  page  is  given  a  cut  of  the  skeleton  of  the 
dog  and  the  technical  names  applied  to  its  various  parts. 

To  bring  the  structure  of  the  dog  into  comparison 
with  that  of  man  we  must  place  man  on  all  fours,  suppose 
his  jaws  greatly  lengthened  out,  his  skull  much  flattened 
and  reduced  in  size,  his  chest  flattened  somewhat  from 
side  to  side,  one  rib  added,  his  clavicle  or  collar-bone 
absent,  and,  of  course,  his  dentition  modified  to  the  car- 
nivorous type. 

Turning  to  the  limbs,  we  must  suppose  him  to  walk  on 
his  fingers  and  toes  (digits),  which  have  been  somewhat 
bent  or  flexed,  and  the  nails  elongated,  thickened,  nar- 
rowed, and  pointed.  It  will  follow  that  the  bones  be- 
tween the  digits  and  the  wrist  or  ankle  will  be  placed 
more  or  less  vertically,  while  what  is  known  as  the  wrist 
in  man  will  become  the  "  knee "  in  the  dog,  and  the  heel 


THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 


FIG.  1.— SKELETON  or  THE  Doo—  Carnivora— (STRANGE-WAY). 
AXIAL  SKELETON. 

THE  SKULL.  Cranial  Bones.— a,  Occipital,  1;  6,  Parietal,  2;  c,  Frontal,  2;  fc, 
Temporal,  2;  Sphenoid,  1;  Ethmoid,  2;  Auditory  ossicles,  8.  Facial  Bones.— /, 
Nasal,  2;  e,  Lachrymal,  2;  d,  Malar,  2;  /i,  Maxilla,  2;  g,  Premaxilla,  2;  i,  Inferior 
maxilla,  2;  Palatine,  2;  Pterygoid,  2;  Vomer,  1;  Turbinals,  4;  Hyoid  (segments),  9. 
Teet h.— Incisors,  12;  Canines,  4;  Molars,  26. 

THE  TRUNK.—  1 1,  Cervical  vertebrae,  7;  m  m,  Dorsal  vertebrae,  13;  n  n,  Lumbar 
vertebras,  7;  o,  Sacrum  (three  segments),  1;  p  p,  Coceygeal  vertebrae  (variable), 
20;  1 1,  Ribs,  26;  *  Sternum  (eight  sternebrae),  1;  •}«  Costal  cartilages. 

APPENDICULAR  SKELETON. 

PECTORAL  LIMB.— M,  Scapula,  2;  v,  Humerus,  2;  w,  Radius,  2;  x,  Ulna.  Carpus, 
—y,  Trapezium,  2;  z,  Cuneiform,  2;  a',  Scaphoid,  2;  6',  Unciform,  2;  c',  Magnum, 
2;  d',  Trapezoid,  2;  e',  Pisiform,  2;  Metacarpal  bones,  10;  A',  Anterior  sesamoids, 
10;  gr',  Posterior  sesamoids,  20.  Digit.— i',  Proximal  phalanges,  10;  fc',  Mesian 
phalanges,  8;  l\  Distal  phalanges,  10;  Small  sesamoids  wanting. 

PELVIC  LIMB.  Pelvis.— Os  Innominatum.—q,  Ilium,  2;  r,  Pubis,  2;  s,  Ischium, 
2.  T/ie  Limb.—m',  Femur,  2;  o',  Fabellaa,  4;  «/,  Patella,  2;  q',  Tibia,  2;  p',  Tibial 
sesamoid,  2;  r',  Fibula,  2.  Tarsus.—  s',  Calcaneum,2;  <',  Astragalus,  2;  M',  Cuboid, 
2;  v',  Superior  cuneiform,  2;  M/,  Ecto-cuneiforme,  2;  #',  Meso-cuneiforme,  2;  j/', 
Endo-cuneiforme,  2.  Metatarsus.— Large  bones,  8;  z',  Small  bones,  2;  Anterior 
sesamoids,  8;  Posterior  sesamoids,  16.  Digit.—  Proximal  phalanges,  8;  Mesian 
phalanges,  8;  Distal  phalanges,  8;  Small  sesamoids  wanting. 

VISCERAL  SKELETON. 
Os  penis,  1 ;  Rudimentary  clavicle  (inconstant),  2. 

The  bones  of  the  Carnivore  Skeleton,  thus  considered,  are  345. 


THE  ZOOLOGICAL  POSITION  OF  THE  DOG.  9 

and  ankle  of  man  the  "  hock "  of  the  dog.  Usually,  in 
the  dog  the  innermost  toe  is  rudimentary  (dew-claw), 
though  the  feet,  like  other  parts  of  this  animal,  vary 
a  good  deal. 

Variations. — There  is  scarcely  a  physical  feature  in 
which  dogs  do  not  vary,  as  will  be  more  evident  after 
an  examination  of  the  peculiarities  of  different  breeds. 
Some  of  these,  however,  are  of  scientific  interest  and 
worthy  of  notice  in  passing.  It  might  almost  be  said 
that  there  is  not  a  bone  in  the  framework  of  this  animal 
which  does  not  vary  in  the  different  breeds  of  dogs,  not 
to  speak  of  differences  in  size,  coat,  carriage,  and  psychic 
traits.  The  shape  of  the  head  is  not  identical  in  any  two 
breeds — a  difference  which  generally  extends  to  the  bones 
composing  it.  Correlated  with  this  are  differences  in  the 
size  and  shape  of  the  brain.  Possibly  also,  in  some  cases 
at  all  events,  variations  in  the  shape,  and  especially  the 
number,  of  the  teeth  are  to  be  referred  to  modifications 
in  the  size  and  shape  of  the  jaws.  The  almost  entire 
absence  of  teeth,  as  in  the  Turkish  dog,  is  to  be  regarded 
in  the  light  of  defective  development,  as  also  the  lack  of 
hair  in  the  Mexican  hairless  variety.  In  large  breeds  of 
dogs  there  seems  to  be  a  tendency  to  the  development  of 
a  fifth  toe,  especially  behind.  The  extent  to  which  the 
feet  are  webbed — i.  e.,  the  toes  united  by  skin — is  also 
variable  and  characteristic  of  some  breeds.  But,  in  fact, 
dogs  vary  in  every  possible  respect,  both  physical  and 
psychical,  as  even  a  moderately  careful  study  of  the  dif- 
ferent breeds  will  show,  and  this  illustrates  the  remarkable 
power  of  animals  to  vary  under  domestication.  One  of 
the  subjects  of  great  interest  in  the  study  of  this  animal 


10  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

is  the  modification  that  his  nature  undergoes  in  relation 
to  the  climate  and  modes  of  life  of  the  peoples  among 
whom  a  particular  breed  happens  to  be  developed. 

English  dogs,  especially  of  some  breeds,  like  English- 
men themselves,  fail  to  adapt  readily  to  certain  climates, 
as  those  of  India  and  Africa. 

In  order  to  understand  the  dog,  either  in  health  or 
disease,  it  is  indispensable  to  know  something  of  the  way 
in  which  animals  live,  move,  and  have  their  being — in  oth- 
er words,  the  conditions  of  animal  existence.  From  time 
to  time  this  subject  will  be  referred  to  in  detail  as  it  con- 
cerns the  dog.  In  the  mean  time  the  following  brief  out- 
line *  may  serve  a  good  purpose,  alike  for  those  who  have 
and  those  who  have  not  studied  physiology  as  a  science : 

The  Animal  Body. — An  animal  may  be  made  up  of  a 
single  cell  in  which  each  part  performs  much  the  same 
work ;  or,  if  there  be  differences  in  function,  they  are  ill- 
defined  as  compared  with  those  of  higher  animals.  The 
condition  of  things  in  such  an  animal  (as  Amoeba)  may  be 
compared  to  a  civilized  community  in  a  very  crude  social 
condition.  When  each  individual  tries  'to  perform  every 
office  for  himself,  he  is  at  once  carpenter,  blacksmith, 
shoemaker,  and  much  more,  with  the  natural  result  that 
he  is  not  efficient  in  any  one  direction.  A  community 
may  be  judged  in  regard  to  its  degree  of  advancement  by 
the  amount  of  division  of  labor  existing  within  it.  Thus 
is  it  with  the  animal  body. 

Looking  to  the  existing  state  of  things  in  the  universe, 
it  is  plain  that  an  animal  to  attain  to  high  ends  must  have 

*  Taken,  with  some  modifications,  from  the  author's  Comparative 
Physiology.    D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  New  York,  1890. 


THE  GREYHOUND  FULLERTON. 
Thrice  winner  of  the  Waterloo  Cup,  the  most  valuable  of  all  coursing  prizes. 

For  description,  see  page  34. 


THE  ZOOLOGICAL  POSITION  OF  THE  DOG.  H 

powers  of  rapid  locomotion,  capacity  to  perceive  what 
makes  for  its  interest,  and  ability  to  utilize  means  to  attain 
this  when  perceived.  These  considerations  demand  that 
an  animal  high  in  the  scale  of  being  shall  be  provided 
with  limbs  sufficiently  rigid  to  support  its  weight,  moved 
by  strong  muscles,  which  must  act  in  harmony.  But  this 
implies  abundance  of  nutriment  duly  prepared  and  regu- 
larly conveyed  to  the  bones  and  muscles.  All  this  would 
be  useless  unless  there  was  a  controlling  and  energizing 
system  capable  both  of  being  impressed  and  originating 
impressions.  Such  is  found  in  the  nerves  and  nerve- 
centers.  Again,  in  order  that  this  mechanism  be  kept  in 
good  running  order,  the  waste  of  its  own  work  (metabol- 
ism), which  chokes  and  poisons,  must  be  got  rid  of — hence 
the  need  of  excretory  apparatus.  In  order  that  the  nerv- 
ous system  may  get  sufficient  information  of  the  world 
around,  the  surface  of  the  body  must  be  provided  with 
special  message-receiving  offices  in  the  form  of  modified 
nerve-endings.  In  short,  it  is  seen  that  an  animal  as  high 
in  the  scale  as  a  mammal  must  have  muscular,  osseous 
(and  connective),  digestive,  circulatory,  excretory,  and 
nervous  tissues ;  and  to  these  may  be  added  certain  forms 
of  protective  tissues,  as  hair,  nails,  etc. 

The  whole  physiological  story  for  one  of  the  higher 
animals,  including  the  dog,  may  be  thus  told  in  brief : 

The  blood  is  the  source  of  all  the  nourishment  of  the 
organism,  including  its  oxygen  supply,  and  is  carried  to 
every  part  of  the  body  through  elastic  tubes,  which,  con- 
tinually branching  and  becoming  gradually  smaller,  ter- 
minate in  vessels  of  hair-like  fineness  in  which  the  current 
is  very  slow — a  condition  permitting  that  interchange  be- 


12  THE   DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

tween  the  cells  surrounding  them  and  the  blood  which 
may  be  compared  to  a  process  of  barter,  the  cells  taking 
nutriment  and  oxygen  and  giving  (excreting)  in  return 
waste  products.  From  these  minute  vessels  the  blood 
is  conveyed  back  toward  the  source  whence  it  came  by 
similar  elastic  tubes,  which  gradually  increase  in  size  and 
become  fewer.  The  force  which  directly  propels  the 
blood  in  its  onward  course  is  a  muscular  pump  (heart), 
with  both  a  forcing  and  suction  action,  though  chiefly 
the  former.  The  flow  of  blood  is  maintained  constant 
owing  to  the  resistance  in  the  smaller  tubes  on  the  one 
hand  and  the  elastic  recoil  of  the  larger  tubes  on  the 
other  ;  while  in  the  returning  vessels  the  column  of  blood 
is  supported  by  elastic  double  gates  (valves),  which  so 
close  as  to  prevent  reflux.  The  oxygen  of  the  blood  is 
carried  in  disks  of  microscopic  size,  which  give  it  up  in 
proportion  to  the  needs  of  the  tissues  past  which  they  are 
carried. 

But  in  reality  the  tissues  of  the  body  are  not  nourished 
directly  by  the  blood,  but  by  a  fluid  derived  from  it  and 
resembling  it  greatly  in  most  particulars.  This  fluid 
bathes  the  tissue-cells  on  all  sides.  It  also  is  taken  up  by 
tubes  that  convey  it  into  the  blood  after  it  has  passed 
through  little  factories  (lymphatic  glands),  in  which  it  un- 
dergoes a  regeneration.  Since  the  tissues  are  impover- 
ishing the  blood  by  withdrawal  of  its  constituents  and 
adding  to  it  what  is  no  longer  useful  and  is  in  reality  poi- 
sonous, it  becomes  necessary  that  new  material  be  added 
to  it  and  the  injurious  components  withdrawn.  The  for- 
mer is  accomplished  by  the  absorption  of  the  products  of 
food  digestion  and  the  addition  of  a  fresh  supply  of  oxy- 


THE  ZOOLOGICAL  POSITION  OF  THE  DOG.  13 

gen  derived  from  without,  while  the  poisonous  ingredients 
that  have  found  their  way  into  the  blood  are  got  rid  of 
through  processes  that  may  be,  in  general,  compared  to 
those  of  a  sewage  system  of  a  very  elaborate  character. 
To  explain  this  regeneration  of  the  blood  in  somewhat 
more  detail,  we  must  first  consider  the  fate  of  food  from 
the  time  it  enters  the  mouth  till  it  leaves  the  tract  of  the 
body  in  which  its  preparation  is  carried  on. 

The  food  is  in  the  mouth  submitted  to  the  action  of  a 
series  of  cutting  and  grinding  organs  worked  by  powerful 
muscles  ;  mixed  with  a  fluid  which  changes  the  starchy  part 
of  it  into  sugar,  and  prepares  the  whole  to  pass  farther  on 
its  course.  When  this  has  been  accomplished,  the  food  is 
grasped  and  squeezed  and  pushed  along  the  tube,  owing 
to  the  action  of  its  own  muscular  cells,  into  a  sac  (stom- 
ach), in  which  it  is  rolled  about  and  mixed  with  certain 
fluids  of  peculiar  chemical  composition  derived  from  cells 
on  its  inner  surface,  which  transform  the  proteid  part  of 
the  food  into  a  form  susceptible  of  ready  use  (absorption). 
When  this  saccular  organ  has  done  its  share  of  the  work, 
the  food  is  moved  on  by  the  action  of  the  muscles  of  its 
walls  into  a  very  long  portion  of  the  tract  in  which,  in 
addition  to  processes  carried  on  in  the  mouth  and  stom- 
ach, there  are  others  which  transform  the  food  into  a  con- 
dition in  which  it  can  pass  into  the  blood.  Thus  all  of 
the  food  that  is  susceptible  of  changes  of  the  kind  de- 
scribed is  acted  upon  somewhere  in  the  long  tract  devoted 
to  this  task.  But  there  is  usually  a  remnant  of  indigesti- 
ble material  which  is  finally  evacuated.  How  is  the  pre- 
pared material  conveyed  into  the  blood  ?  In  part,  direct- 
ly through  the  walls  of  the  minutest  blood-vessels  distrib- 


14  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

uted  throughout  the  length  of  this  digestive  tube,  and  in 
part  through  special  vessels  with  appropriate  cells  covering 
them,  which  act  as  minute  porters  (mUt), 

The  impure  blood  is  carried  periodically  to  an  exten- 
sive surface  (lungs),  usually  much  folded,  and  there  ex- 
posed in  the  hair-like  tubes  referred  to  before,  and  thus 
parts  with  its  excess  of  carbon  dioxide  and  takes  up  fresh 
oxygen.  But  all  the  functions  described  do  not  go  on  in 
a  fixed  and  invariable  manner,  but  are  modified  somewhat 
according  to  circumstances.  The  forcing-pump  of  the 
circulatory  system  does  not  always  beat  equally  fast ;  the 
smaller  blood-vessels  are  not  always  of  the  same  size,  but 
admit  more  or  less  blood  to  an  organ  according  to  its 
needs. 

This  is  all  accomplished  in  obedience  to  the  commands 
carried  from  the  brain  and  spinal  cord  along  the  nerves. 
All  movements  of  the  limbs  and  other  parts  are  executed 
in  obedience  to  its  behests ;  and,  in  order  that  these  may 
be  in  accordance  with  the  best  interests  of  each  particular 
organ  and  the  whole  animal,  the  nervous  centers,  which 
may  be  compared  to  the  chief  officers  of,  say,  a  telegraph 
or  railway  system,  are  in  constant  receipt  of  information 
by  messages  carried  onward  along  the  nerves.  The  com- 
mand issuing  is  always  related  to  the  information  arriving. 

All  those  parts  commonly  known  as  sense-organs — the 
eye,  ear,  nose,  tongue,  and  the  entire  surface  of  the  body 
— are  faithful  reporters  of  facts.  They  put  the  inner  and 
outer  worlds  in  communication,  and  without  them  all 
higher  life  at  least  must  cease,  for  the  organism,  like  a 
train  directed  by  a  conductor  that  disregards  the  danger- 
signals,  must  work  its  own  destruction.  Without  going 


PSYCHIC  CHARACTERISTICS  OP  THE  DOG.  15 

into  further  details,  suffice  it  to  say  that  the  processes  of 
the  various  cells  are  subordinated  to  the  general  good 
through  the  nervous  system,  and  that  susceptibility  of 
protoplasm  to  stimuli  of  a  delicate  kind  which  enables 
each  cell  to  adapt  to  its  surroundings,  including  the  influ- 
ence of  remote  as  well  as  neighboring  cells.  "Without  this 
there  could  be  no  marked  advance  in  organisms,  no  differ- 
entiation of  a  pronounced  character,  and  so  none  of  that 
physiological  division  of  labor  which  will  be  inferred 
from  our  brief  description  of  the  functions  of  a  mammal. 
The  whole  of  physiology  but  illustrates  this  division  of 
labor. 

It  is  hoped  that  the  above  account  of  the  working  of 
the  animal  body,  brief  as  it  is,  may  serve  to  show  the  con- 
nection of  one  part  functionally  with  another,  for  it  is 
much  more  important  that  this  should  be  kept  in  mind 
throughout  than  that  all  the  details  of  any  one  function 
should  be  known. 

PSYCHIC   CHARACTERISTICS    OF   THE    DOC*. 

"We  use  the  term  psychic  in  contrast  with  physical  as 
implying  all  that  relates  to  the  mental  traits  and  the  dis- 
position ;  In  fact,  all  not  purely  animal  or  physiological. 
The  term  is  of  wider  significance  than  either  "mental" 
or  "  moral,"  and  includes  both. 

"While  no  doubt  savages  and  prehistoric  men  early  per- 
ceived that  the  dog  possessed  qualities  which  would  aid 
them  in  accomplishing  the  aims  of  their  life  in  the  chase, 
etc.,  a  little  reflection  will  show  that,  apart  from  those 
characteristics  which  have  made  this  animal  man's  closest 

companion  of  all  the  forms  of  life  below  him,  the  useful 
3 


16  THE  DOG  IX  HEALTH. 

properties  of  the  dog  would  have  been  of  little  service  to 
the  human  race.  Many  of  the  wild  congeners  of  the  dog 
equal  or  excel  him  in  hunting  for  game,  etc.,  but  such 
animals  are  rather  the  enemies  than  friends  and  helpers 
of  man.  But  it  is  because  the  dog  is  teachable,  tractable, 
and  adaptive,  as  well  as  courageous  and  intelligent,  that  he 
has  in  all  ages  been  one  of  man's  most  useful  servants. 
There  are,  however,  other  reasons  why  all  peoples  and 
nearly  all  individuals  have  a  kindly  leaning  toward  the 
dog.  Scarcely  surpassed  in  intelligence  by  any  known  ani- 
mal, teachable  in  a  high  degree,  ready  to  adapt  cheerfully 
to  every  condition  of  life,  however  much  hardship  it  may 
involve,  fitted  for  so  wide  a  range  of  duties,  forgiving 
without  stint,  meeting  every  wish  of  his  owner  even  to 
whims  and  caprices,  contented  with  the  homeliest  fare  and 
the  rudest  shelter,  so  that  he  may  but  win  his  master's 
approbation,  faithful  in  many  instances  even  unto  death,  it 
is  not  surprising  that  in  every  age,  in  every  clime,  by  the 
lowest  savages  and  by  men  of  the  highest  talents  and  at- 
tainments, the  dog  has  been  held  in  the  greatest  esteem 
and,  after  a  fashion,  made  a  member  of  the  family  circle. 

The  individual  that  can  see  nothing  to  admire  in  the 
dog  is  surely  defective  either  by  nature  or  by  education — 
in  fact,  a  sort  of  human  monstrosity. 

The  psychic  characteristics  of  the  dog  have  probably 
been  more  studied  than  those  of  any  other  animal.  He 
has  been  the  theme  of  historians,  philosophers,  scientists, 
and  poets  for  ages,  and  yet  the  author  ventures  to  think 
that,  with  increasing  knowledge  and  changing  views  of  the 
relations  of  things  in  the  universe,  the  field  is  still  open  to 
culture  and  worthy  of  the  best  human  abilities. 


PSYCHIC  CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  DOG.  17 

The  dog  is  deserving  of  man's  respect,  for  he  seems  to 
possess  in  some  degree  of  development  every  mental  if  not 
also  every  moral  faculty  of  man  himself  in  so  far  as  they 
can  exist  apart  from  the  possession  of  speech.  In  not  a 
few  respects  is  the  dog  the  superior  of  his  master.  If  he 
can  not  do  all  that  the  latter  can,  is  it  not  also  true  that 
there  is  much  that  he  can  accomplish  quite  impossible  to 
man? 

The  author  has  long  been  impressed  with  the  belief 
that  in  regarding  the  dog  as  very  like  ourselves  in  physical 
constitution,  as  shown  by  the  similar  action  of  drugs,  poi- 
sons, etc.,  and  in  psychic  characteristics,  we  are  better 
prepared  to  understand  this  animal  than  on  any  other  as- 
sumption. 

While  he  greatly  resembles  the  cat  in  some  of  his 
physical  qualities,  he  differs  from  this  animal  in  many 
others  ;  and  it  is  certain  that  the  dog  may  be  treated  in  all 
respects  more  as  if  he  were  a  child  than  as  bearing  any 
close  relationship  to  our  other  domestic  animals.  This 
will  be  explained  more  fully  later;  but  at  the  present 
the  writer  wishes  to  impress  this  on  the  reader,  whether 
he  be  a  professional  student  or  not,  as  he  is  deeply  con- 
vinced that  the  training,  general  management,  and  medical 
treatment  of  the  dog  will  be  infinitely  better  carried  out 
on  this  basis  than  any  other — a  view  which  it  is  a  great 
satisfaction  to  know  is  entertained  by  some  of  our  most 
thoughtful  breeders  as  well  as  most  careful  students  of 
comparative  psychology  and  medicine. 

For  some  time  the  author  has  been  making  a  careful 
study  of  the  entire  development  of  puppies  from  birth 
onward,  and  this  has  greatly  strengthened  this  conviction. 


18  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

The  development  of  the  puppy  and  the  child  are  nearly 
parallel  up  to  a  certain  stage,  when  the  use  of  language 
begins.  Previous  to  that  the  puppy,  in  many  respects  at 
least,  surpasses  the  infant ;  after  that  the  child  is  of  course, 
on  the  whole,  greatly  in  advance  of  the  dog.  As  this 
idea  of  human  resemblance  will  be  the  guiding  principle 
throughout  this  book,  it  need  not  be  further  dwelt  upon 
just  now. 

CLASSIFICATION  OP  DOGS. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  existing  varieties  of  the 
dog  have  been  produced  by  crossing  and  selection,  chiefly 
aided  by  the  influence  of  all  that  enters  into  the  term  "  en- 
vironment." Certain  breeds  have  almost  or  quite  disap- 
peared, and  so  rapidly  are  the  varieties  known  in  any  one 
country  modified  that  the  dog  of  to-day  is  in  some  cases 
so  different  from  his  ancestors  of  twenty  years  ago  as  to 
be  scarcely  recognizable  as  of  the  same  breed,  owing  to 
the  modifications  produced  in  the  way  mentioned  above. 
There  is  in  reality  no  limit  to  the  number  of  breeds  that 
may  be  produced. 

The  great  French  naturalist,  Cuvier,  attempted  to  give 
dogs  a  scientific  classification  founded  on  the  shape  of  the 
head,  length  of  the  jaws,  etc.,  while  these  prominent  parts 
were  by  him  supposed  to  vary  with  the  peculiar  qualities, 
habits,  etc.,  of  the  breed.  It  does  not  seem  possible  to 
classify  dogs  in  this  way  on  a  strictly  natural  basis.  As 
the  purpose  for  which  in  the  main  a  breed  is  used  by  man 
has  much  to  do  with  both  its  form  and  psychic  character- 
istics, the  classification  adopted  by  Stonehenge  is  at  least 
suggestive.  It  is  as  follows  : 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  19 

1.  Wild  and  half -reclaimed  dogs,  hunting  in  packs. 

2.  Domesticated  dogs,  hunting  chiefly  by  the  eye,  and 
killing  their  game  for  the  use  of  man. 

3.  Domesticated  dogs,  hunting  chiefly  by  the  nose,  and 
both  finding  and  killing  their  game. 

4.  Domesticated  dogs,  finding  game  by  scent,  but  not 
killing  it ;  being  chiefly  used  in  aid  of  the  gun. 

5.  Pastoral  dogs,  and  those  used  for  the  purposes  of 
draught. 

6.  Watch-dogs,  house-dogs,  and  toy  dogs. 

7.  Crossed  breeds,  retrievers,  etc. 

CLASS  I. 

The  most  important  are  the  dingo,  the  dhole,  the 
pariah,  the  wild  dog  of  Africa,  and  the  North  and  the 
South  American  dogs. 

The  dingo  is  about  twenty-four  inches  high,  and  greatly 
resembles  the  fox  in  appearance,  with  a  head  somewhat 
between  that  of  the  wolf  and  fox,  but,  unlike  the  fox,  the 
tail  is  carried  curled  over  the  hip.  He  may  be  tamed  to 
some  extent  and  will  breed  with  domesticated  dogs. 

The  dhole,  or  native  wild  dog  of  India,  closely  resem- 
bles the  dingo,  except  that  the  tail  is  not  bushy.  He  at- 
tacks various  kinds  of  wild  animals,  including  the  tiger ; 
and  is  of  great  speed  and  endurance. 

The  pariah  is  the  name  given  to  those  dogs  that 
abound  in  the  villages  of  India,  and,  though  without 
masters  proper,  seem  ready  to  become  the  hunting  com- 
panion of  any  one  who  may  encourage  them.  They  are 
used  to  hunt  many  varieties  of  game,  as  well  as  the  tiger 
and  wild  boar. 


20  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

The  wild  African  dogs  (Ekia  or  Deab)  are  unclaimed, 
half-wild,  despised  animals,  living  on  the  refuse  of  the 
village  streets  or  on  wild  animals  they  hunt  on  their  own 
account.  They  are  rather  large,  resemble  the  wolf,  and 
are  very  fierce,  illustrating  well  how  usage  affects  the  dog 
for  evil  as  well  as  for  good. 

"Wild  American  dogs  are  now  somewhat  scarce,  but  at 
one  period  were  no  doubt  numerous  enough. 

The  characteristics  and  mode  of  life  of  these  varieties 
of  the  canine  race  throw  much  light  on  not  a  few  points 
that  are  peculiar  to  the  dog  as  we  know  him  in  civiliza- 
tion, and  lend  strong  probability  to  the  views  as  to  the 
origin  of  this  animal  set  forth  in  these  pages. 

In  almost  every  neighborhood  there  are  dogs  that  are 
relatively  wild,  and  many  a  one,  left  behind  to  shift  for 
himself  when  the  family  to  which  he  belonged  has  moved 
away,  has  in  the  struggle  for  existence  become  a  midnight 
marauder  or  a  canine  vagabond — possibly  a  dangerous  one. 
The  author  has  known  of  dogs  that  committed  depreda- 
tions on  flocks  of  fowls  of  the  neighborhoods  in  which 
they  prowled  about  that  were  long  attributed  to  foxes,  till 
at  last  these  vagrant  animals  were  discovered  in  the  act. 

He  has  also  known  several  dogs  in  the  outskirts  of  a 
large  city  in  this  country  take  up  their  temporary  abode 
in  vacant  lots  or  open  fields,  where  a  little  straw  or  similar 
bedding  might  be  found,  associate  with  them  other  dogs 
that  soon  learned  to  be  of  habits  more  or  less  like  their 
own,  constituting  a  sort  of  pack  that  lived  by  visiting  the 
barrels  set  out  for  the  scavengers,  such  animals  being  a 
menace  both  to  human  beings  and  well-behaved  dogs  that 
avoided  such  company.  This  state  of  things  has  brought 


CLASSIFICATION  OP  DOGS.  21 

the  canine  race  into  much  discredit  with  those  who  did 
not  reflect  that  man  is  himself  wholly  responsible  for  it. 

Standards. — Before  proceeding  to  give  the  points,  etc., 
of  the  various  breeds  of  dogs  coming  under  the  subdivis- 
ions of  the  preceding  classification  still  to  be  treated,  it 
will  be  profitable  to  consider  the  subject  of  a  "  standard," 
or  the  description  of  the  characteristics  of  any  variety 
of  the  canine  species.  In  this  case  again  reference  to  the 
origin  of  standards  may  not  be  without  interest.  Long 
ago  a  large  number  of  standards  were  printed  in  Stone- 
henge's  admirable  work  on  the  dog,  and  these  are  to  the 
present  time  the  basis  on  which  others  have  been  con- 
structed. The  standard  actually  used,  or  supposed  to  be 
used,  in  the  judging  of  any  breed  at  a  public  exhibition  of 
dogs  is  usually  that  adopted  by  the  specialty  club  that  con- 
cerns itself  with  the  breed  in  question.  The  standards  of 
all  the  leading  breeds  are  now  to  be  obtained  in  compact 
and  cheap  form  in  one  volume,  indispensable  to  the  judge, 
the  critic,  the  breeder,  the  exhibitor,  and  others.  As  to 
how  far  they  conform  to  the  requirements  of  the  perfect 
standard  may  be  better  determined  presently. 

A  standard  of  any  breed  should  express  in  words  the 
ideally  perfect  dog ;  and  it  would  be  of  the  highest  serv- 
ice to  have  the  verbal  description  accompanied  by  an 
ideal  illustration,  for  there  are  no  perfect  dogs;  and  if 
to  these  two  were  added  a  commentary  of  such  a  char- 
acter as  would  render  the  meaning  more  clear  and  at  the 
same  time  give  the  reasons  for  the  various  requirements 
of  the  standard,  we  feel  certain  that  greater  progress 
would  be  made  by  all  concerned.  While  some  few 
writers  have  commented  on  the  standards  of  some  of  the 


22  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

breeds  in  the  way  suggested,  it  has  never  been  done  sys- 
tematically or  completely ;  nor,  so  far  as  the  writer  knows, 
have  the  proposed  ideal  cuts  ever  been  published  accom- 
panying any  set  of  standards.  It  has  been  customary 
to  say  little  of  the  psychic  characteristics  of  dogs  in  the 
standards,  though  surely  there  is  no  subject  of  higher 
importance.  Possibly  this  omission  is  to  be  explained 
on  the  ground  that  it  is  impossible  to  learn  these  fully  in 
the  judging  ring,  etc.  However,  it  seems  to  the  writer 
that  a  dog  of  an  objectionable  disposition  or  of  very  de- 
fective intellect  should  not  be  encouraged  in  the  least,  as 
such  qualities  are,  unless  the  result  of  bad  usage,  very 
likely  to  be  inherited  by  offspring,  and  in  fact  may  be  in 
any  case.  To  give  such  an  animal  a  prize  is  to  stamp  him 
with  approval,  and  it  is  well  known  that  the  owners  of 
bitches  often  breed  to  prize  dogs  regardless  of  every  other 
consideration.  It  should  never  be  forgotten  that  the  dog 
of  every  breed  is  meant  to  be  the  companion  of  his  own 
fellows  and  of  man  himself  to  some  extent,  and  in  the  case 
of  some  breeds  very  largely.  It  is  unfortunate  also  that, 
taking  the  standards  as  a  whole,  they  do  not  agree  on  the 
terms  used  or  the  subdivisions  of  the  animal's  form  recog- 
nized. 

Since  the  clubs  established  in  the  interest  of  each  breed 
do  now  draw  up  and  publish  standards,  a  few  words  in  re- 
gard to  these  organizations  may  not  be  out  of  place. 

In  some  countries  specialism  in  the  breeding  of  dogs  is 
carried  so  far  that  it  is  not  uncommon  for  the  admirer  of 
one  breed  to  feel  no  interest — possibly  a  sort  of  contempt 
or  repugnance — as  regards  others ;  or  it  may  be  that  his 
very  enthusiasm  may  lead  him  to  overestimate  one  breed 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  23 

and  undervalue  all  others ;  or,  again,  there  may  be  a  spirit 
of  indifference  to  all  breeds  except  the  favorite  one.  We 
think  that  the  best  attitude  of  mind  for  the  cynologist  to 
assume  is  one  of  calm  criticism,  endeavoring  to  see  the 
good  and  the  weak  points  of  each  breed  and  recognizing 
that  individuals  of  all  breeds  differ  greatly  in  merit. 

The  assumed  object  of  every  club  is  to  improve  the 
breed  to  which  it  is  devoted  by  publishing  a  standard  con- 
sidered correct,  encouraging  breeding  to  the  true  type — 
both  physical  and  psychical — by  giving  prizes  for  animals 
bred  nearest  to  the  standard,  and  encouraging  esprit  de 
corps  among  the  members. 

It  is  also  common  to  name  certain  individuals,  either 
from  among  the  members  only  or  including  outsiders,  to 
act  as  judges  at  shows,  believing  that  the  true  type  of 
dog  will  thus  be  best  selected. 

The  advantages  of  all  this  is  obvious ;  the  dangers  of 
specialty  clubs  not  so  apparent. 

The  history  of  all  specialism  seems  to  show  that  nar- 
rowness and  intellectual  myopia  are  the  usual  pitfalls.  In 
seeking  for  improvement,  minor  points  are  apt  to  be 
unduly  valued  and  general  soundness  of  make-up  and 
physical  and  mental  stamina  too  little  considered,  with  also 
a  strong  tendency  to  go  to  extremes.  It  can  not  be  denied, 
however,  that  without  such  specialism  the  dog  would  never 
have  been  advanced  to  the  numerous  distinct  varieties, 
beautiful  in  form  and  attractive  in  qualities,  that  we  find 
to-day.  Never  before  were  dogs,  on  the  whole,  so  typical 
and  so  perfect ;  at  all  events,  in  such  large  numbers. 

Without  dog  shows  the  work  would  have  been  much 
slower  if  not  impossible,  as  they  are,  without  doubt,  the 


24  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

most  rapid  and  effective  educators  of  the  general  public 
and  the  greatest  stimulus  to  high-class  breeding.  But  of 
these  again. 

The  dog,  like  most  quadrupeds,  may  very  naturally  be 
considered  as  made  up  of  the  following  sections  or  regions 
of  the  body :  Head,  neck,  chest,  shoulders,  back,  loins, 
quarters,  tail,  legs,  and  feet.  Manifestly  each  of  these  is 
capable  of  subdivision,  and  the  extent  to  which  this  is  done 
in  the  different  standards  is  very  variable. 

Unless  standards  are  drawn  up  merely  by  caprice,  we 
are  entitled  to  ask  what  should  be  kept  in  mind  in  per- 
forming such  a  task  ?  It  seems  to  us  that  within  the  limits 
that  Nature  allows,  the  following  should  be  the  aims : 

Primarily,  the  dogs  of  the  breed  in  question  should 
have  such  a  form  as  is  best  suited  to  the  purpose  for  which 
the  animal  is  intended.  Let  this  once  be  lost  sight  of,  and 
breeders  are  at  sea  without  rudder  or  compass. 

The  relative  size  and  proportion  of  parts  should  be 
such  as  are  consistent ;  no  decided  weakness  anywhere  ;  for 
in  an  animal,  as  in  a  chain,  the  strength  of  the  whole  is 
practically  determined  by  that  of  the  weakest  part,  and  it 
is  just  this  balance  of  parts,  which  Nature  looks  after  so 
well  in  wild  animals,  that  the  breeder  who  is  a  specialist 
may  be  tempted  to  disregard.  To  illustrate  •  What  mat- 
ters it  that  a  dog  shall  have  the  most  perfect  form  in  every 
other  part  if  his  head  is  so  small  that  it  can  not  contain 
the  necessary  amount  of  brain  for  the  purposes  of  his 
work,  or  his  loin  so  weak  that  if  he  has  galloping  work 
to  do  he  must  soon  tire,  etc.  ? 

But  a  dog  may  be  usefully  and  strongly  built  without 
those  refinements  of  proportion  that  we  recognize  in  high- 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  25 

class  dogs.  This  result  is  in  reality  only  the  perfection 
of  what  is  implied  in  the  above.  It  follows  almost 
as  a  corollary  that  all  that  is  not  of  use  in  the  formation 
of  the  animal  is  to  be  condemned,  and  is  commonly  called 
"lumber."  Though  the  standards  can  not  be  so  framed 
that  the  internal  organs  shall  be  taken  into  the  account  di- 
rectly, they  are  really  considered  in  the  form  of  the  ani- 
mal. It  must,  however,  be  remembered  that  what  is 
termed  stamina — i.  e.,  endurance  and  resisting  power  under 
unfavorable  conditions — is  the  outcome  of  the  working  of 
all  the  cells  of  the  body  as  maintained  in  a  general  balance 
of  functions.  It  is  well  known  that  pure-bred  dogs  have 
not  the  stamina  of  mongrels  in  the  sense  now  implied,  and 
this  is  probably  due  to  those  disturbances  introduced  into 
the  economy  by  those  modifications  of  form,  etc.,  for 
which  man  is  responsible. 

The  writer's  accounts  of  the  various  breeds  will  scarce- 
ly be  full  enough  to  constitute  them  complete  standards. 
They  will,  however,  be  more  comprehensive,  and,  it  is 
hoped,  have  a  special  value  to  both  the  breeder  and  practi- 
tioner of  medicine,  inasmuch  as  they  will  be  illustrated,  and 
an  attempt  will  be  made  to  give  reasons,  if  only  briefly  and 
by  way  of  suggestion  rather  than  as  elaborate  explanations. 

The  whole  subject  will  probably  be  better  understood 
if  the  principles  stated  above  are  applied  first  to  the  dif- 
ferent sections  of  the  body,  without  special  reference  to 
any  one  breed  exclusively. 

Standards  further  considered. — Certain  terms  have  been 
and  are  used  by  breeders,  convenient  and  well  understood, 
though  very  difficult  to  define  by  words.  Among  these 
are  "  character,"  "  quality,"  and  "  type." 


26  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

Character  refers  to  tlie  whole  constitution  of  the  dog, 
physical  and  psychic,  in  so  far  as  the  latter  is  evident  in 
his  appearance.  A  dog  may  be  fairly  correct  in  form, 
according  to  the  standard  as  regards  shape  and  proportion 
of  parts,  yet  his  attitude,  his  carriage,  his  facial  expression, 
and  much  more  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  describe, 
yet  quite  easy  to  recognize  by  the  experienced  eye,  may 
be  so  far  from  correct  that  he  may  be  fitly  said  to  be 
lacking  in  character;  and  this  is  a  most  serious,  indeed, 
in  the  writer's  estimation,  a  radical  defect,  and  generally 
accompanied  by  psychical  imperfections  which,  if  very 
pronounced,  render  the  specimen  an  undesirable  posses- 
sion. 

Quality  is  different  from  character,  though  it  may 
enter  into  the  latter.  It  is  a  certain  refinement  arising 
from  perfection  in  details  of  form  and  character.  A  dog 
of  quality  may  be  compared  to  a  "  gentleman  "  among  hu- 
man beings. 

A  typical  animal  is  one  that  may  be  taken  as  a  sort  of 
model  and  is  a  living  illustration  of  the  standard,  and 
inasmuch  as,  at  the  largest  bench  shows,  such  animals  are 
to  be  found,  these  institutions  become,  even  unconscious- 
ly, powerful  educators,  while  the  study  of  the  best  speci- 
mens with  a  critical  eye  is  absolutely  indispensable  to  the 
breeder,  the  critic,  and  the  judge. 

Returning  to  the  subdivisions  of  the  dog's  form  recog- 
nized by  the  standards,  we  shall  now  speak  of  them  in  a 
general  way. 

Head. — This  is  in  reality  the  most  important  part  of 
the  animal,  since  it  contains  the  brain,  is  the  seat  of 
most  of  the  sense-organs,  and,  in  consequence,  deter- 


CLASSIFICATION  OP  DOGS.  27 

mines  largely  the  psychic  traits  of  the  breed  and  the 
general  intelligence  and  disposition.  Apart  from  this, 
the  head,  more  than  any  other  feature  of  the  animal,  de- 
termines both  character  and  quality.  A  dog  with  a  head 
that  is  coarse  or  of  wrong  formation  can  not  possibly  be 
typical ;  hence  in  every  breed  great  importance  is  attached 
to  this  part  of  the  animal's  form,  though  it  is  just  possible 
that  undue  attention  is  often  given  to  minute  details  of 
this  region  to  the  neglect  of  very  important  parts,  as  legs, 
feet,  loin,  and  quarters,  of  so  much  consequence  in  run- 
ning-dogs. 

Neck. — Of  this  little  need  be  said,  except  that  it  should 
be  in  harmony  with  the  rest  of  the  animal  and  free  from 
loose  skin  (throatiness) — i.  e.,  "  clean  "  and  neat. 

Shoulders. — If  the  dog  is  one  intended  for  speed,  these 
should  be  sloping,  clean,  and  distinctly  marked  off  at  the 
shoulder-joint  proper,  with  wide,  long  blades  (scapula 
long,  wide,  and  obliquely  placed),  as  seen  in  the  grey- 
hound, and  in  great  perfection  in  the  race-horse.  Such 
conformation  permits  of  a  long  and  easy  stride,  lessens 
the  shock  when  a  galloping  animal  alights  on  its  fore 
feet,  and  furnishes  a  sufficient  attachment  for  the  mus- 
cles that  work  the  lower  leg.  If  the  withers  are  high, 
an  appearance  of  character  and  quality  is  imparted.  If 
the  animal  is  not  intended  for  speed,  obliquity  and  length 
are  not  of  such  importance. 

Chest. — If  the  chest  is  not  deep  it  is  plain  that  the 
shoulder-blades  can  not  be  properly  placed.  The  dog, 
like  the  race-horse,  having  no  collar-bone,  his  body  is 
swung  between  his  shoulder-blades,  and,  that  there  may 
be  an  easy  movement  of  the  fore-limbs,  the  whole  chest 


28  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

should  be  somewhat  boat-shaped.  The  chest  must  be 
rather  narrow  in  front  and  keeled  both  before  and  behind 
the  shoulder-joints,  but,  in  order  that  abundant  room  be 
provided  for  both  heart  and  lungs,  there  must  be  a  limit 
to  the  narrowness  in  front,  and  the  chest  must  be  very 
wide  above,  which  is  insured  by  the  ribs  being  well 
sprung,  while  at  the  same  time  the  back  ribs  must  be 
much  shorter,  otherwise  there  will  be  interference  with 
the  working  of  the  hinder  locomotive  apparatus. 

But  an  opposite  conformation  is  required  in  the  large, 
heavy  dog  destined  not  for  speed,  but  strength,  and  an- 
swering to  the  heavy  draught-horse,  in  which  the  chest  is 
rather  barrel-shaped. 

Back.- — As  the  shoulders  cover  so  much  of  the  chest 
in  the  fast  animal,  the  back,  if  due  proportion  is  to  be 
maintained,  must  be  short,  and  in  most  breeds  it  is  level, 
and  should  be  in  all  fairly  muscled,  and  in  running  dogs 
especially  so. 

Loin  and  Quarters  may  well  be  considered  together, 
as  these  parts  have  so  much  to  do  with  the  fast  gallop,  as 
witness  the  conformation  of  the  greyhound,  race-horse, 
rabbit,  etc.  Both  leverage  and  muscling  are  to  be  taken 
into  account,  so  that  the  loin  should  be  strong,  which  usu- 
ally implies  both  breadth  and  depth.  At  all  events,  it 
should  measure  well  around.  It  begins  at  the  last  rib  and 
passes  into  the  quarters. 

In  bitches  more  depth  is  required  than  in  dogs,  to 
allow  of  breeding  room.  The  exact  length  of  the  loin 
depends  so  much  on  the  relative  proportions  of  the  animal 
that  no  rule  can  be  laid  down.  If  very  short,  there  is 
neither  strength  nor  freedom  ;  and  if  too  long,  the  animal 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  BOGS.  29 

invariably  tires  readily,  and  is  frequently  defective  in 
stamina.  The  loin  should  never  be  absolutely  flat,  but 
should  rise  to  a  gentle  curve. 

The  quarters  must  be  large — i.  e.,  both  wide  and  deep 
— as  here  are  attached  the  muscles  that  render  both  loin 
and  thighs  effective ;  and  generally  in  very  strong  ani- 
mals there  is  a  more  or  less  rugged  appearance  from  bony 
prominences,  which  indicates  a  strong  osseous,  correspond- 
ing to  a  strong,  muscular  development. 

Thighs. — The  thigh-joint  proper  of  the  dog  is  incon- 
spicuous, and  what  is  termed  the  "  stifle  "  corresponds  to 


FIG.  2. 


the  knee  of  man.  Upper  and  lower  thigh  (Fig.  2)  are 
convenient  terms,  and  both  should  be  well  developed  in 
an  animal  intended  for  a  long  and  rapid  stride,  for  such 
implies  that  muscles  are  both  thick  and  long.  Length  is 
of  great  importance  for  the  highest  speed,  for  it  is  well 
known  that  a  muscle  in  contraction  may  shorten  to  one 


30  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

tliird  of  its  length,  from  which  its  power  will  be  evident. 
The  stifle  should  be  well  bent  for  the  same  reason  that  the 
shoulder-blades  should  be  oblique  and  should  not  turn  in, 
but  rather  a  little  out,  so  that  there  may  be  movement 
free  of  the  body. 

Legs  and  Feet. — However  good  the  other  parts  of  a 
dog,  if  his  legs  are  weak,  improperly  bent,  or  otherwise 
defective,  he  will  necessarily  be  of  little  service  for  con- 
tinuous work  in  hunting,  etc.  The  upper  arm  (a  part 
often  too  little  considered)  should  be  strong  in  bone  and 
well  muscled  for  the  movement  of  what  is  commonly 
understood  by  the  forearm  or  front  leg.  The  leg  from 
the  elbow  to  the  pastern  or  wrist  (knee)  should  be  perfect- 
ly straight,  the  bone  large — i.  e.,  so  as  to  seem  strong 
enough  to  support  the  weight  of  the  animal  and  afford 
attachment  to  large  muscles.  The  pasterns  should  also  be 
strong  to  bear  the  shocks  to  which  they  are  exposed  in 
galloping,  jumping,  etc.,  and  a  slight  obliquity  in  fast- 
working  dogs  is  probably  an  advantage,  though  on  this 
point  there  is  diversity  of  opinion. 

The  elbows  should  be  strong,  but  work  clear  of  the 
body  in  every  possible  movement  of  the  animal ;  hence 
they  should  be  turned  neither  in  nor  out  ("  out  at  elbow  ") 
and  placed  low — i.  e.,  low  enough  to  be  free,  as  indicated 
above. 

The  "  knee  "  is  really  the  wrist  of  man,  and  should  be 
low  placed  for  speed. 

In  the  hind-legs  the  hock  corresponds  to  the  ankle  of 
man.  Like  all  joints  that  are  called  upon  to  bear  severe 
strains,  it  should  be  large  or  prominent  and  well  bent 
(well  [turned) — i.  e.,  the  junction  of  the  bones  composing 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  31 

the  joint  should  make  a  decided  angle.  It  should  also  be 
low — i.  e.,  near  the  ground — allowing  of  a  longer  thigh. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  throughout  a  common  physical 
principle  is  involved — viz.,  that  obliquity  is  favorable  to 
resistance  of  strain.  The  longer  the  legs  above  the  carpal 
and  tarsal  joints  (knee  and  hock),  the  more  favorable  for 
the  resistance  of  shocks  and  length  of  leverage — i.  e., 
speed,  A  dog  straight  in  stifle  or  hocks  has  a  stilty  action 
that  offends  the  eye  as  well  as  militates  against  speed. 

Feet. — There  are  two  principal  types  of  feet — the 
long  or  hare  foot,  and  the  roundish  or  cat  foot.  The  lat- 
ter looks  better,  but  it  is  a  matter  of  dispute  which  is 
the  more  durable.  It  is  probably  a  question  of  thickness, 
hardness  of  pads,  and  supply  of  hair  between  the  toes, 
rather  than  of  form.  But  the  toes  should  be  well  flexed 
or  "  knuckled  up,"  thick  through,  and  hard  on  the  pads 
for  obvious  reasons. 

The  toe-nails  are  of  importance — more  than  is  com- 
monly believed.  Let  one  be  lost  and  it  may  then  be 
learned  how  weak  the  foot  concerned  becomes. 

The  Tail. — At  first  sight  of  little  importance,  but  hav- 
ing much  to  do  with  the  character  and  quality  of  the  ani- 
mal, not  to  speak  of  its  importance  as  an  index  of  good 
breeding,  it  must  be  taken  into  the  account.  The  writer 
believes  that  if  animals  be  watched  carefully  it  will  be 
perceived  that  the  dog  makes  great  use  of  his  tail  in  pro- 
gression, using  it  as  a  sort  of  air  rudder  or  balancing-pole 
— at  all  events,  it  seems  to  be  of  importance  in  making 
sharp  turns,  etc.  This  should  be  considered,  as  some 
breeds  have  the  tail  docked  by  common  practice. 

If  the  reader  will  now  turn  to  the  cut  of  the  grey- 


32  THE  BOG  IN  HEALTH. 

hound  lie  will  find  in  it  an  almost  perfect  illustration  of 
the  embodiment  of  those  principles  that  are  involved  in 
the  most  rapid  progression.  In  the  setter  or  pointer  we 
have  speed  of  a  lower  grade,  but  their  conformation  adapts 
them  to  more  continuous  work  (p.  10). 

In  such  a  dog  as  the  mastiff  or  St.  Bernard  all  those 
points  so  important  in  the  above-mentioned  breeds  and 
their  allies  are  of  subordinate  importance,  and  the  ques- 
tion in  breeding  such  animals  is  simply  how  to  get  great 
size  and  strength  with  majesty  in  expression ;  hence  a 
massive  frame  and  due  proportion  of  parts  to  this  end  is 
the  aim.  Nevertheless,  attention  must  be  paid  to  legs, 
feet,  etc.,  so  that  they  shall  not  be  unduly  weak  or  dispro- 
portioned  anywhere,  and  at  present  the  tendency  seems 
to  be  to  neglect  this  balance  of  parts  which  Nature  when 
left  to  herself  always  insures,  for  if  it  does  not  exist  in 
any  specimen,  that  animal's  days  are  generally  few  and  it 
may  leave  no  offspring.  But  "  the  survival  of  the  fittest " 
as  it  applies  to  wild  animals  has  been  modified  somewhat 
by  man. 

Even  in  toy  dogs,  bred  exclusively  to  please  the  eye 
and  form  the  household  pets  of  their  masters,  this  same 
balance  must  be  attended  to  and  their  supporting  parts 
(leg  and  feet)  not  wholly  neglected. 

To  summarize  the  views  expressed  in  the  preceding 
pages  and  put  them  in  language  familiar  to  the  breeder,  a 
dog  to  be  typical  must  have  a  correct  and  true  form  and 
show  both  quality  and  character. 

His  head  must  be  neither  coarse  nor  weak;  his  jaws 
even  and  teeth  level ;  he  must  be  neither  overshot  nor 
undershot  (overhung,  underhung ;  the  first  is  also  termed 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  33 

pig- jawed) ;  his  neck  of  due  size ;  his  chest  either  barrel- 
shaped  or  deep  and  keeled  according  as  he  is  intended  for 
slow  or  fast  work  ;  his  shoulders  clean  at  the  joints,  and 
long  and  sloping  if  of  a  fast  breed ;  his  back  level,  short, 
and  strong ;  his  loin  of  due  length  and  girth,  strong,  and 
not  flat;  the  quarters  in  the  running  dog  especially 
strong;  stifles  well  bent;  the  thighs,  upper  and  lower, 
muscular ;  the  hocks  strong  and  well  bent ;  bones  of  both 
front  and  hind  legs  large ;  pasterns  strong ;  feet  thick, 
hard,  and  well-knuckled ;  the  tail  of  due  length,  and  so 
proportioned,  etc.,  as  not  to  be  coarse.  To  put  the  case 
otherwise,  the  typical  dog  must  not  be  snipy  in  muzzle, 
throaty,  straight  in  shoulder-blades  or  loaded  in  shoulders, 
slack-backed  or  sway-backed,  weak  or  flat-loined,  feeble  in 
quarters,  out  at  elbow  or  tied  in  the  elbows,  stand  over  at 
the  knees,  weak  in  pasterns,  straight  in  stifle  or  hock,  cow- 
hocked  (turning  the  hocks  in  and  very  close  together), 
ring-tailed  (curl  in  tail),  splay-footed  (foot  flat  and  toes 
separating),  etc. 

We  have  not  alluded  to  coat.  This  should  be  in  keep- 
ing with  the  work  to  which  the  breed  is  put.  Except  in 
toy  dogs,  more  importance  is  attached  to  the  color  of  nose, 
eyes,  etc.,  than  to  that  of  coat,  as  a  rule,  and  properly  so 
because  it  is  found  that  animals  of  the  best  strains  have 
these  well  characterized.  A  very  light-colored  eye  in  any 
breed  of  dogs  is  to  be  avoided,  as  it  is  often  associated 
with  some  pronounced  psychic  imperfection.  Quality  of 
coat — as  hardness,  softness,  etc. — is  also  very  suggestive  to 
the  experienced  as  to  breeding,  disposition,  etc. 


34:  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

CLASS  II. 

Under  Stonehenge's  second  class,  or  dogs  hunting 
chiefly  by  the  eye  and  killing  their  game  for  the  use  of 
their  masters,  the  principal  breeds  encouraged  in  England 
and  America  are  the  smooth  English  greyhound,  the 
deerhound,  the  Irish  wolfhound,  and  the  Russian  wolf- 
hound or  barzoi. 

As  the  writer  has  taken  great  pains  to  secure  the  best 
cuts  possible,  the  reader  will  find  it  advantageous  to  com- 
pare the  necessarily  brief  descriptions  compatible  with  the 
plan  of  this  work  with  the  illustrations.  Few  living 
specimens  are  to  be  seen  as  good  as  those  represented  in 
these  illustrations,  all  of  which  are  typical,  and  some  of 
them  almost  models. 

The  English  Greyhound. — The  most  perfect  form  that 
has  ever  existed,  probably,  among  domesticated  animals 
for  speed.  A  wonderful  combination  of  strength  and 
grace !  Since  this  dog  is  bred  almost  wholly  for  one 
purpose — the  coursing  of  rabbits — he  is  an  example  of 
extreme  specialism  in  breeding,  and,  being  mostly  kept 
exclusively  in  kennels  and  associating  little  with  man  as 
a  companion,  he  is  neither  very  intelligent  nor  very  af- 
fectionate, as  a  rule,  though  capable  of  a  fair  develop- 
ment of  both  under  more  favorable  circumstances  (p.  10). 

The  greyhound  may  be  considered  as  an  almost  perfect 
embodiment  of  those  principles  set  forth  in  previous  pages 
as  constituting  the  fundamentals  for  speed.  No  breed  of 
dogs  could  be  freer  from  superfluous  tissue  or  "  lumber." 
His  form  is  admirably  adapted,  even  in  details,  for  cleav- 
ing the  air,  while  his  frame  is  a  beautiful  model  for  the 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  35 

attachment  of  muscles,  and  these  being  of  great  length, 
and  the  bony  levers  also  long,  while  the  respiratory  and 
circulatory  organs  are  well  provided  for,  it  only  remains 
that  the  bony  pillars  of  support  and  the  feet  shall  be 
suitable  for  the  end  to  be  attained. 

It  is  manifest  that  when  a  greyhound  is  in  "condition" 
the  muscles  should  stand  out  distinctly  and  feel  very  hard. 

The  head  of  the  greyhound  should  be  long,  lean, 
tapering ;  narrow  across  the  skull  as  compared  with  some 
breeds,  but  of  sufficient  width  to  allow  of  brain  room. 
The  eyes  must  be  rather  full,  clear,  and  bright ;  the  ears 
small,  lying  close  to  the  head  and  folded  back ;  the  jaws 
strong  and  even  (not  "  pig- jawed  "),  and  the  teeth  strong 
and  sound  to  hold  the  hare. 

The  greyhound's  head  is  an  example  of  the  flat  front 
— i.  e.,  the  furrow  between  the  eyes  or  "  stop  "  is  indif- 
ferently marked,  and  the  brows  not  prominent. 

The  neck  is  long,  tapering,  and  arched,  to  permit  of 
the  dog  catching  up  the  hare  without  stooping,  and  the 
way  in  which  it  is  set  into  the  head  and  shoulders  or  chest 
has  much  to  do  with  determining  the  quality  of  any  par- 
ticular animal,  especially  when  taken  in  connection  with 
the  head. 

Coat. — Short,  smooth,  and  glossy. 

Color. — A  matter  of  no  great  importance.  A  good 
greyhound,  like  a  good  race-horse,  can  not  be  of  a  "  bad 
color,"  though  of  course  a  little  attention  must  be  paid 
to  it  in  the  show  animal ;  but  coat  and  color  count  only 
five  in  a  hundred  marks,  according  to  the  standard  now 
adopted. 

Tail. — Fine,  nicely   curved,  and   may  indicate  good 


36  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

breeding  or  the  reverse ;  always  carried  low,  except  under 
unusual  excitement. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  speak  of  shoulders,  chest, 
loin,  quarters,  etc.,  as  these  have  been  fully  dealt  with  in 
the  general  remarks  in  the  requirements  of  the  fleet  ani- 
mal. The  loin  is  preferred  a  good  deal  curved  and  the 
belly  well  tucked  up. 

A  specially  large  greyhound  is  not  to  be  preferred,  as 
such  have  rarely  excelled  in  coursing,  and  should  not, 
therefore,  have  any  advantage  on  the  bench. 

The  Deerhound. — A  coarser,  larger  animal  than  the 
preceding,  with  a  rough  coat,  once  used  for  hunting  deer, 
but,  like  the  wolfhound,  not  now  bred  for  any  special  kind 
of  work  (p.  16). 

The  chief  points  of  difference  are  the  greater  coarse- 
ness of  head  and  neck.  The  head  is  heavier  and  the  neck 
not  so  long  or  so  graceful. 

This  breed  of  dog  stands  higher,  and,  being  more 
heavily  made,  weighs  more  than  the  greyhound ;  but, 
though  not  so  perfect  a  model  of  symmetry,  the  latter 
is  still  pronounced. 

Colors. — Those  most  preferred  are  dark-blue,  fawn, 
grizzle,  and  brindle,  which  has  something  of  a  blue  tint. 

Coat. — Whole  body  covered  with  a  rough  coat,  coarser 
on  the  back  than  elsewhere.  "  Intermediate  between  silk 
and  wool "  is  the  description  given  by  some  breeders. 

This  variety  of  the  greyhound  tribe  has  been  used 
successfully  to  run  down  the  prairie  wolf  or  coyote  of 
North  America. 

The  Irish  Wolfhound. — The  animal  that  was  known 
under  this  name  is  now  extinct ;  but  a  breed  greatly  re- 


CLASSIFICATION    OF   DOGS.  37 

sembling  it  is  cultivated  by  a  few  enthusiastic  admirers 
in  Britain  (p.  24). 

Of  the  deerhound  type,  he  is  more  massive  and  far 
taller,  and,  though  more  commanding  in  appearance,  he 
does  not  compare  in  symmetry  with  either  of  the  two 
preceding. 

Coat. — Rough  and  hard. 

Colors. — Much  as  in  the  preceding. 

The  Russian  Wolfhound  or  Barzoi — This  breed  has  very 
recently  sprung  into  popularity  in  Britain,  and  taken  some 
hold  in  America.  It  is  used  in  Russia  to  hunt  (by  sight) 
the  wolf,  etc.  (p.  32). 

In  general  appearance  this  dog  is  a  combination  of  the 
greyhound  and  the  setter,  though  it  is  not  to  be  inferred 
that  such  has  been  its  mode  of  formation.  In  truth,  the 
greatest  diversity  of  opinion  is  expressed  about  the  breed 
in  most  particulars.  In  not  a  few  respects  the  form  of 
this  animal  is  at  variance  with  English  and  American 
notions  of  dogs,  and  the  breed  will  likely  be  much  modi- 
fied if  it  has  come  to  stay.  The  great  size,  the  setter-like 
coat,  and  strength  and  elegance  of  form,  unite  to  make  up 
a  most  attractive  whole.  As  to  temper,  intelligence,  etc., 
we  have  much  to  learn. 

This  dog  is  very  long  as  well  as  tall,  and  the  arch  of 
back  and  loin  surpasses  that  in  any  other  breed  known, 
while  the  muscular  development  of  these  parts  is  very 
marked. 


38  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 


CLASS  III. 

DOMESTICATED  DOGS,  HUNTING  BY  SCENT,  WHICH  BOTH  FIND 
AND  KILL  THEIR  GAME.  THESE  INCLUDE  THE  VARIOUS 
HOUNDS  AND  TERRIERS. 

The  Bloodhound. — The  largest  of  existing  breeds  of 
hounds  cultivated  in  Britain  or  America.  In  general 
form  he  greatly  resembles  the  English  foxhound  ;  but 
no  variety  of  dogs,  perhaps,  possesses  so  characteristic  a 
head,  which  is  more  pronounced — as  is  usual  in  all  its 
features — in  the  male  (p.  40). 

Skull  very  much  domed  and  narrow  across,  though 
rather  long,  with  very  decided  occipital  protuberance; 
forehead  much  wrinkled.  Eyes  small,  deep-set,  with  a 
distinct  red  "haw,"  or  third  eyelid.  Ears  long,  fine  in 
"leather,"  hanging  close  to  cheeks.  Muzzle  long,  deep, 
blunt  at  tip.  Flews  or  angles  of  lips  long  and  pendulous. 
Unlike  most  breeds,  in  this  a  "  dewlap,"  or  loose  skin  in 
front  of  the  throat,  is  esteemed. 

The  whole  expression  of  the  animal  is  most  peculiar 
and  characteristic. 

Coat. — Short,  hard  on  body,  but  soft  and  silky  on  ears 
and  head  generally. 

Colors. — Tan  and  black  and  tan ;  the  latter  much  pre- 
ferred, the  black  to  predominate  on  the  upper  parts  of  the 
body. 

The  name  of  the  breed  is  probably  derived  from  its 
having  been  used  to  track  wounded  animals.  The  extent 
to  which  the  bloodhound  has  ever  been,  or  can  be,  em- 
ployed to  track  human  beings  is  uncertain.  However,  this 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  39 

subject  lias  attracted  fresh  attention  of  late,  especially  in 
America. 

The  Foxhound. — The  nature  of  the  work  that  this  ani- 
mal performs  has  decided  his  form  and  character  prob- 
ably more  than  in  any  other  breed  of  dogs  after  the 
greyhound,  and  the  extent  to  which  perfection  has  been 
reached  is  scarcely  rivaled  even  by  the  latter  wonderful 
animal  form,  especially  if  the  pack,  rather  than  the  indi- 
vidual, be  considered. 

When  it  is  remembered  what  fox-hunting  implies,  it 
will  be  realized  that  only  a  breed  combining  considerable 
speed  with  the  greatest  endurance  would  meet  the  require- 
ments. Hence  this  animal's  form  may  be  considered  as 
the  model  for  combined  speed  and  endurance.  It  is  there- 
fore a  great  modification  of  that  of  the  greyhound,  in 
which  a  burst  of  the  highest  possible  speed,  maintained 
at  the  most  for  one  or  two  miles,  is  wrhat  is  sought. 

In  few  breeds  have  specimens  been  so  carefully  se- 
lected and  the  weeding-out  process  so  rigidly  carried  on 
as  in  this.  As  individual  effort  must  be  subordinated  to 
hunting  in  concert,  considerable  intelligence,  as  well  as 
scenting  powers,  speed,  etc.,  is  required. 

It  may  be  instructive  to  consider  the  points  of  the  fox- 
hound at  rather  greater  length  than  in  the  case  of  some  oth- 
er breeds.  (See  cut  and  description  of  beagle,  pp.  48,  41.) 

Head. — While  not  heavy,  the  skull  must  be  large 
enough  to  accommodate  a  good-sized  brain.  Distinct  but 
not  exaggerated  brows  should  in  the  male  girth  sixteen 
inches. 

Muzzle. — Long  (four  inches  and  a  half),  wide,  with 
open  nostrils. 


40  THE   DOG  IN   HEALTH. 

Eyes. — Moderate  in  size,  soft,  and  full  of  expres- 
sion. 

Ears. — Long  (often  "rounded"  or  shortened  artifi- 
cially), set  low  and  lying  close  to  cheeks. 

Neck. — Long,  lean,  no  throatiness,  tapering,  with  con- 
vex upper  outline. 

Shoulders. — Long,  sloping,  clean  at  points,  well  mus- 
cled. True  arm  long  and  muscular. 

Chest. — Large — i.e.,  deep — with  well-sprung  ribs,  not 
so  narrow  as  the  greyhound's,  and  with  back  ribs  long ; 
shouldei  girth  thirty  inches  in  a  twenty-four-inch  (high) 
hound. 

Back. — Yery  muscular,  running  into  loin  without  con- 
tracting or  "  nipping." 

Loin. — Extremely  strong  and  joining  well  into  back 
and  quarters. 

Quarters. — Yery  strong ;  may  even  be  a  little  rugged 
in  appearance.  Thighs  strong  and  stifle  moderately  bent, 
as  most  suitable  to  general  work  and  endurance. 

Legs  and  Feet. — Elbows  free,  straight  (neither  in  nor 
out),  strong,  and  well  let  down ;  legs  (including  bone 
throughout,  joints,  etc.)  of  great  strength.  Must  be  the 
typical  exemplification  of  legs  and  feet  adapted  to  speed 
and  endurance ;  hence  the  pasterns  are  so  strong  as  to 
seem  much  as  of  one  piece  with  the  bone  above. 

The  feet  should  be  round,  thick,  well-knuckled,  with 
the  hardest  of  pads. 

Stern  (tail). — Slightly  arched  over  back,  tapering,  and 
provided  with  a  fringe  of  hairs  below. 

Coat. — Hard,  short,  dense,  glossy. 

Colors, — The  "  hound  colors  "  are  black,  tan  and  white, 


THE  BLOODHOUND  CHAMPION  CROMWELL. 
(K.  C.  S.  B.,  19,754.) 

For  description,  see  page  38. 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  41 

black  and  white,  and  the  "  pies " — i.  e.,  white,  with  the 
color  of  hare  or  badger — a  sort  of  yellow  or  tan. 

Symmetry,  quality,  and  character  should  be  pro- 
nounced, especially  the  latter.  The  psychic  characteristics 
may  be  inferred  from  preceding  remarks. 

Related  to  the  foxhound  are  the  harrier  and  the  beagle. 

The  Harrier. — Said  to  be  descended  from  the  old 
Southern  hound  ;  scarcely  known  pure  now,  but  mostly 
crossed  with  the  foxhound.  The  harrier  resembles  the 
foxhound  closely,  the  head  being  in  some  respects  differ- 
ent. The  skull  is  wider  and  heavier,  and  muzzle  wider 
and  longer ;  the  ears  set  on  rather  farther  back,  and  are 
not  usually  "  rounded  "  ;  eyes  softer  and  larger  ;  whole  ex- 
pression slightly  suggestive  of  the  bloodhound. 

The  harrier  has  probably  a  better  nose  than  the  fox- 
hound, but  tends  to  potter  over  the  scent,  and  so  does  not 
push  forward  as  fast.  His  voice  is  also  more  like  the 
bloodhound's,  and  exceeds  that  of  the  foxhound  in  melody. 
We  speak  of  the  true  harrier,  not  the  crossed  animal. 

The  Beagle. — A  very  popular  breed  in  America,  espe- 
cially of  late,  and  largely  used  in  rabbit  hunting.  Being 
a  small  animal,  the  pack  can  usually  be  followed  on  foot 
(p.  48). 

Stonehenge  regards  the  beagle  as  the  miniature  of  the 
Southern  hound,  but  of  greater  symmetry.  The  standard 
adopted  by  the  American-English  Beagle  Club  describes 
him  as  "a  miniature  foxhound,  solid  and  big  for  his 
inches,  with  the  wear-and-tear  look  of  the  dog  that  can 
last  in  the  chase  and  follow  his  quarry  to  the  death." 

In  head  he  differs  in  an  appreciable  degree  from  the 
foxhound,  and  we  quote  from  the  above  standard. 


42  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

Head. — Skull  moderately  domed  at  occiput ;  cranium 
broad  and  full ;  ears  set  on  low,  long  and  fine  in  texture, 
front  edge  closely  framing  and  inturned  to  cheek,  rather 
broad,  rounded  at  tips,  and  with  an  almost  entire  ab- 
sence of  erectile  power  at  their  origin. 

Eyes  full,  prominent,  rather  wide  apart,  soft  and  lus- 
trous, brown  or  hazel  in  color;  orbital  processes  (eye- 
brows) well  developed;  expression  gentle,  subdued,  and 
pleading. 

The  muzzle  of  medium  length,  squarely  cut,  and  stop 
well  defined. 

Jaws  level ;  indentation  between  eyes ;  lips  with  at 
most  only  moderate  flews. 

Nostrils  large,  moist,  and  open. 

In  other  parts  he  should  resemble  the  foxhound,  and 
be  as  strongly,  perhaps  even  more  symmetrically  made 
with  an  equal  development  of  quality  and  character. 

Size  is  of  importance ;  this  dog  must  not  exceed  fifteen 
inches  in  height  at  the  shoulder. 

His  voice,  or  "  cry,"  is  very  melodious  to  the  ears  of 
his  admirers. 

The  Otterhound. — Yery  like  the  bloodhound  in  general 
appearance,  coat  excepted,  which  is  thick,  oily,  and  with 
pily  undercoat,  adapting  the  animal  to  water.  Open  feet 
with  plenty  of  web,  suiting  the  animal  to  swimming,  are 
also  desirable. 

In  color  sandy  or  grizzle,  with  black  and  tan  more 
or  less  clearly  defined. 

Irritable  in  temper  and  courageous  to  the  last  degree, 
in  consequence  of  contests  with  their  quarry,  they  some- 
times worry  each  other  to  death  in  the  kennel. 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  43 

The  Bassethound. — This  breed  originated  in  France, 
and  is  much  esteemed  in  that  country  for  hunting  various 
kinds  of  game,  which  this  hound  does  with  wonderful 
scenting  powers  and  pleasing  music,  though  slow  of  pace. 
A  small  pack  is  sufficient  (p.  52). 

His  form  is  striking  as  a  whole,  with  a  head  very  like 
that  of  the  bloodhound ;  a  long  body  supported  on  strong 
short  legs,  the  fore-legs  being  crooked,  so  that  the  toes 
turn  out.  This  conformation  is  adopted  partly  by  fancy 
and  partly  because  of  the  strength  it  allows,  and  because 
it  renders  the  pace  slow,  which  is  thought  desirable  in 
hunting  the  deer,  etc.,  in  Europe. 

The  Dachshund. — This  breed  is  of  German  origin,  and, 
as  the  name  implies  (badger-dog),  it  is  used  in  hunting 
the  badger,  though  not  exclusively.  A  German  or  terrier 
and  an  English  or  hound  type  are  recognized.  The  for- 
mer is  the  smaller,  and  is  unrivaled  for  underground  work. 
It  differs  from  the  dog  of  English  type  in  size  and  head, 
the  skull  being  flatter,  etc.  They  may  be  either  smooth- 
haired  or  rough-haired  (pp.  56,  60). 

The  head  is  long,  narrow,  with  a  decided  occipital 
protuberance  or  "  peak "  in  the  English  type ;  no  stop ; 
intelligent  eyes ;  long,  broad,  soft,  and  low-set  ears. 

"Well  "  crooked  "  fore-legs  are  highly  esteemed. 

The  coat  is  dense  and  short  in  the  smooth  variety ; 
hard  and  longer  in  the  rough. 

The  Great  Dane. — The  great  Dane,  boarhound,  Ulmer 
dogge,  German  mastiff,  German  dogge,  etc.,  are  all  related 
in  form  and  characteristics,  though  whether  of  similar  or 
identical  origin  is  much  disputed  (frontispiece). 

The  great  Dane  is  the  most  esteemed  of  large  dogs  as  a 


44  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

companion  in  Germany,  though  little,  if  at  all,  used  now 
for  boar-hunting. 

Gentle  with  women  and  children,  and  manageable  by 
his  master,  he  is  a  desirable  companion  and  protector,  for 
he  is  both  strong  and  courageous.  He  is  valuable  in 
America  as  a  watch-dog,  and  seems  to  be  growing  in 
popular  favor. 

His  strong,  active  form,  great  size,  and  fierce  appear- 
ance render  him  a  terror  to  aggressors  of  every  kind. 

As  he  is  very  suggestive  of  the  wild  beast,  no 
dog's  appearance  is  so  fitted  to  inspire  fear,  which  is  a 
strong  recommendation  in  a  dog  intended  to  guard  a  large 
estate,  etc. 

His  form  is  about  midway  between  that  of  the  mastiff 
and  the  greyhound ;  a  very  muscular,  upstanding,  alert, 
active  dog,  combining  the  activity  and  grace  of  the  grey- 
hound and  the  strength  of  the  mastiff  in  a  high  degree. 
If  this  be  borne  in  mind  as  the  ideal  to  be  attained,  the 
standard  adopted  by  the  Great  Dane  Club  may  be  intelli- 
gently criticised. 

The  minimum  height  for  dogs  is  30  inches,  for  bitches 
28  inches ;  the  minimum  weight  120  pounds  and  100 
pounds. 

The  head  bears  a  general  resemblance  to  that  of  the 
bull  terrier,  but  has  characteristic  features  of  its  own. 

The  ears  are  usually  cropped,  but,  if  not,  should  re- 
semble in  form  and  carriage  those  of  the  greyhound.* 

The  neck  should  be  long  and  clean  and  join  head  and 
shoulders  neatly.  Shoulders,  chest,  back,  loin,  quarters, 

*  No  dog  of  any  breed  born  after  March,  1895,  can,  if  cropped,  win 
a  prize  at  a  show  held  under  the  auspices  of  the  English  Kennel  Club. 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  45 

legs,  and  feet  are  all  in  harmony  with  the  above  ideal — 
i.  e.,  of  a  dog  intermediate  between  the  fleetest  and  the 
strongest  breeds. 

The  tail  is  strong  at  the  root,  tapering  to  the  end, 
reaching  to  the  hock,  carried  slightly  curved  and  not 
much  if  at  all  above  the  level  of  the  back ;  when  the  ani- 
mal is  tranquil  it  is  carried  very  low. 

Coat. — Short,  hard,  and  dense. 

Colors. — Shades  of  gray  (or  blue),  black,  white, 
spotted,  red,  fawn,  brindle  or  tiger-striped  on  a  white 
ground,  with  patches  of  dark  color.  The  single  colors 
may  be  accompanied  by  markings  of  a  darker  tint  about 
the  eyes  and  muzzle,  with  a  line  of  similar  tint  ("  trace") 
along  the  spine.  The  "  wall "  or  "  china "  eye  seems  to 
naturally  accompany  certain  colors,  as  is  also  the  case  in 
sheep-dogs. 

The  most  noticeable  or  common  faults  are  too  heavy 
or  houndy  a  head ;  brows  and  stop  too  pronounced ;  face 
too  broad ;  muzzle  too  light,  short,  or  not  square  enough 
at  end;  ears  too  heavy  or  improperly  carried;  throati- 
ness ;  neck  too  short  or  thick ;  chest  too  broad  or  too 
narrow ;  sunken  or  sway-back  and  flat  loin ;  legs  not 
straight ;  weak  pasterns  and  cow-hocks ;  twisted  or  splay- 
feet  ;  coat  coarse  or  long ;  tail  too  heavy,  too  m  ach 
curved,  carried  too  high,  or  curled  into  a  sort  of  ring 
("ring-tailed"). 

This,  like  other  large  breeds,  is  very  liable  to  be  weak 
in  hind  parts— i.  e.,  quarters,  thighs,  and  hocks.  Many 
strong  specimens  lack  symmetry,  quality,  and  character. 

Terriers. — The  terriers  constitute  a  numerous  collection 
of  breeds,  and,  as  almost  every  one  is  in  Britain  encour- 


46  THE  DOG   IX  HEALTH. 

aged  by  a  specialty  club,  it  can  be  readily  understood  that 
they  have  been  bred  to  great  perfection,  or,  at  all  events, 
very  near  the  proposed  standards.  It  is  somewhat  other- 
wise in  America,  where  this  group,  with  the  exception  of 
the  fox-terrier,  can  not  be  considered  as  very  popular. 
But  of  late  certain  varieties,  especially  Irish  and  Scot- 
tish terriers,  have  made  great  advances  in  popular  favor. 
Both  breeds  are  hardy  and  courageous. 

Since  terriers,  distinct  as  they  are  in  details  of  form 
and  character,  have  a  great  deal  in  common,  it  will  be  well 
to  consider  what  may  be  termed  terrier  type. 

As  every  breed  or  group  of  dogs  must,  as  we  have  be- 
fore said,  be  judged  in  reference  to  the  work  it  is  sup- 
posed to  be  able  to  perform,  so  with  this  one.  The  ter- 
rier is  essentially  a  vermin  ("  varmint ")  dog — i.  e.,  he  is 
adapted  to  drive  out,  secure,  or  actually  kill  such  animals 
chiefly  as  are  injurious  to  man — as  rats,  foxes,  etc.  Such  a 
dog  must  evidently  be  active,  fast  for  his  size,  courageous, 
with  powerful  jaws  and  teeth,  and  at  least  not  large. 

Terrier  character  is  very  decided  and  readily  recog- 
nized. The  terrier  must  be  a  wiry,  muscular  little  animal, 
ever  on  the  look-out  and  ever  ready  to  tackle  vermin,  and, 
if  need  be,  to  carry  on  the  contest  to  the  death ;  and  if  he 
looks  this  from  nose  to  tail  he  has  terrier  character,  as  the 
term  character  is  understood  by  breeders. 

The  bodily  form  is  characterized  as  follows  :  Flat, 
more  or  less  wedge-shaped  head,  with  strong  jaws  and 
teeth,  neat  ears,  dark,  small,  usually  deep-set  eyes.  Teeth 
must  be  level ;  to  be  overshot  or  the  reverse  is  a  great  fault 
in  a  terrier,  as  it  indicates  weakness  where,  above  all,  he 
should  be  strong — i.  e.,  in  holding-  and  killing-power.  j 


CLASSIFICATION  OP  DOGS.  47 

The  neck  must  suit  the  head  and  body ;  chest,  loin, 
quarters,  legs,  and  feet  must  be  those  of  a  strong,  active 
animal,  capable  of  considerable  speed,  and  hence  approxi- 
mating those  of  the  great  Dane,  already  described,  which 
is  a  sort  of  larger  terrier  in  form. 

Tail  and  ears  are  in  many  breeds  cut,  to  add,  as  it  is 
thought,  to  terrier  expression.  It  is  to  be  hoped,  how- 
ever, that  all  such  cruel  practices  will  soon  be  abandoned, 
as  they  are  plainly  against  nature. 

The  coat  should,  whether  long  or  short,  be  hard  gen- 
erally and  durable  in  all  cases,  so  as  to  resist  wear  with 
work  and  protect  the  skin  of  the  animal.  It  must  be  re- 
membered that  the  terrier  is  frequently  required  to  dig 
and  to  enter  burrows  ("  go  to  earth  "),  hence  the  necessity 
of  strong  legs,  good  feet  well  armed  with  strong  nails,  a 
resisting  coat,  etc. 

Color  is  variable  but  rarely  striking,  as  that  would  dis- 
cover the  dog  to  the  creatures  he  seeks  to  surprise. 

The  faults  to  be  specially  avoided  in  a  terrier  are 
a  heavy,  thick  skull ;  prominent  brows  ;  full  eyes ;  large, 
badly  carried  ears ;  weak  jaws  and  poor  teeth,  not  meet- 
ing in  front ;  a  cloddy  form  ;  crooked  or  weak  legs,  and 
splayed,  soft,  or  thin  feet ;  tucked-up  belly ;  weak  loin  ; 
legginess  or  the  reverse ;  a  broad  breast,  straight  shoul- 
ders, or  stifles ;  uneven  back ;  flat  sides ;  general  deficiency 
of  muscle ;  a  coat  lacking  in  quality  and  quantity. 

If  the  dog  has  a  perfect  form  he  may  still  lack  to  the 
eye  terrier  character,  in  which  case  he  will  not  do  for  the 
bench ;  and  if  he  really  is  deficient  in  the  psychical  char- 
acteristics of  the  breed,  he  is,  of  course,  useless  in  a  de- 
gree as  a  vermin  dog. 
5 


48  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

The  fox-terrier,  the  Irish  terrier,  the  black  and  tair, 
and  among  toys  the  Yorkshire,  enjoy  a  fair  degree  of 
popularity  in  America ;  the  first  is  in  fact  a  great  favor- 
ite; we  shall  therefore  call  special  attention  to  these. 
Although  descriptions  of  coat  will  be  given  in  referring  to 
the  various  breeds  of  terriers,  it  must  be  seen  (like  the 
color),  and  in  fact  felt,  to  be  appreciated  thoroughly. 

The  Fox-terrier. — Used,  as  his  name  implies,  to  unearth 
the  fox,  not  kill  him,  he  should  be  gritty  and  strong,  and 
fleet  enough  to  keep  within  sight  or  hearing  of  the 
hounds  at  all  events.  An  excellent  "  ratter,"  and  ready 
for  most  kinds  of  small  vermin,  with  considerable  docility, 
affection,  and  intelligence,  handsome,  sprightly,  etc.,  he 
is  largely  kept  as  a  companion,  even  as  a  sort  of  house 
dog.  The  fox-terrier  may  be  regarded  as  the  young 
man's  companion,  as  the  poodle,  the  Yorkshire,  or  toy 
spaniel  is  that  of  the  lady  (pp.  64,  72). 

Head. — Skull  flat,  rather  narrow,  sloping  to  muzzle ; 
little  apparent  stop,  viewed  from  the  front,  but  showing 
slightly  in  profile ;  cheeks  not  full ;  ears  Y-shaped,  small, 
pointing  forward  and  lying  close  to  cheeks ;  jaws  strong 
and  muscular ;  some  chiseling  below  eyes ;  muzzle  taper- 
ing to  nose,  which  must  be  black ;  eyes  and  their  rims 
dark  in  color,  small,  rather  deep-set,  nearly  circular  in 
shape,  "  full  of  fire,  life,  and  intelligence  " ;  teeth  about 
level,  but  the  upper  may  be  just  outside  lower. 

Neck. — Clean,  muscular,  tapering. 

Shoulders. — Long,  sloping,  fine  at  points,  and  clearly 
marked  off  at  withers. 

Chest. — Deep  but  not  broad  in  breast;  ribs  well 
sprung;  back  ribs  deep. 


THE  BEAGLE  CHAMPION  RINGWOOD. 
(K.  C.  S.  B.,  19,846.) 

For  description,  see  page  41. 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  49 

Back. — Even,  short,  strong. 

Loin. — Powerful,  slightly  arched,  not  tucked  up  in 
flank. 

Quarters. — Strong,  muscular,  no  droop  or  crouch; 
thighs  long  and  powerful ;  hocks  near  ground  ;  stifle  bent 
as  in  a  foxhound. 

Stern  (tail). — Set  on  high,  strong,  carried  gayly,  but 
not  over  back  or  curled  ;  is  usually  docked. 

Legs  and  Feet. — Much  as  in  the  foxhound. 

Coat. — There  are  two  varieties  of  this  terrier — the 
smooth-  and  the  wire-haired.  In  the  former  the  hair  is 
smooth,  flat,  hard,  dense,  abundant,  tough,  and  should 
cover  also  the  belly  and  inner  side  of  thighs,  though  not 
so  thickly.  In  the  rough-haired  or  wire-haired  breed  the 
harder  and  more  wiry  in  texture  the  better  the  coat,  which 
is  longer  than  in  the  smooth  dog ;  but  it  should  not  give 
the  appearance  of  shagginess.  It  must  on  no  account  be 
silky  or  woolly  either  to  eye  or  hand. 

Color. — "White  should  predominate ;  brindle,  red,  or 
liver  markings  are  objectionable ;  otherwise  color  is  not  of 
much  importance,  though  black  and  tan  on  head  is  much 
liked. 

The  fox-terrier  should  show  symmetry,  quality,  and 
character  in  a  high  degree. 

Weight^  etc. — Not  either  a  leggy  or  low  dog ;  should 
fall  between  sixteen  and  twenty  pounds. 

Irish  Terrier. — This  breed  is  very  popular  in  Britain^ 
and  is  gaining  ground  in  America.  In  general  appear- 
ance, except  in  coat  and  color,  he  somewhat  resembles 
the  fox-terrier,  but  is  a  considerably  larger  dog  (p.  80). 

Good-tempered  with  mankind,  he  is  a  little  too  ready 


50  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

for  a  fray  with  his  own  species,  and  he  does  not  always 
stop  to  consider  whether  he  is  a  match  for  his  antagonist ; 
but  in  any  case  he  is  slow  to  give  up  once  he  begins. 

In  jaws  he  is  rather  stronger  than  the  fox-terrier.  A 
reaction  has  taken  place  against  cutting  the  ears  of  this 
breed,  but  the  tail  is  still  docked.  This  latter  operation, 
when  done  at  a  very  early  age,  as  it  usually  is,  causes 
very  little  pain.  In  most  points  the  standard  is  similar  to 
that  for  the  fox-terrier,  but  the  Irish  dog  is  larger. 

Coat. — Somewhat  like  that  of  the  wire-haired  fox- 
terrier,  but  its  true  quality  must  be  learned  by  feel.  It 
should  not  be  shaggy,  but  straight  and  flat. 

Color. — Whole-colored ;  bright  red  preferred,  wheat- 
en,  yellow,  and  gray  next ;  brindle  disqualifying.  A  lit- 
tle white  on  chest  not  so  objectionable  as  on  feet. 

Weight. — Sixteen  to  twenty-four  pounds,  bitches,  as 
in  all  breeds,  being  rather  smaller. 

Black-and-tan  Terrier. — Formerly  a  white  terrier  iden- 
tical in  shape,  etc.,  to  this  was  much  valued.  This 
breed  is  now,  however,  rarely  seen  at  shows  in  any 
numbers  (p.  88). 

The  black-and-tan  terrier,  on  account  of  cleanly  habits, 
a  skin  free  from  smell,  neatness,  size,  color,  etc.,  is  well 
adapted  to  be  a  house  dog ;  but  his  aversion  to  stran- 
gers, generally  manifested  by  a  shrill,  unpleasant  voice,  is 
no  small  drawback,  though  by  no  means  confined  to  this 
breed.  He  is  not  so  generally  popular  as  the  fox-terrier, 
not  being  so  hardy  and  perhaps  because  of  the  cropping 
of  the  ears,  which  is  not  always  done  so  as  to  render 
them  presentable.  They  do  not  bear  cold  as  well  as  most 
of  the  terriers.  Nevertheless,  he  is  a  good  vermin  dog, 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  51 

being  renowned  in  the  rat  pit.  He  has  also  many  winning 
ways  and  is  capable  of  being  taught  various  tricks. 

In  general  form  he  is  somewhat  between  the  Italian 
greyhound  and  the  fox-terrier  or  very  small  bull-terrier. 

His  chief  peculiarities  are  : 

Head. — Long  and  narrow,  slight  stop,  tight-skinned ; 
like  a  much-tapered  wedge ;  eyes  very  dark  (black),  ob- 
long ;  very  bright,  neither  much  sunken  nor  protruding ; 
nose  black ;  ears  small,  thin,  set  as  close  together  as  pos- 
sible at  the  top  of  the  head,  lying  close  ("  button  "  ear). 

Chest. — Narrow  between  the  fore-legs  and  deep  in  the 
brisket ;  ribs  well  sprung. 

Back. — Short. 

Loin. — Slightly  arched  and  powerful;  flank  a  little 
tucked  up. 

Quarters. — Strong  and  muscular. 

Feet. — Compact,  split  up  between  the  toes  and  well 
arched,  with  jet-black  nails ;  the  two  middle  toes  of  the 
front  feet  a  little  longer  than  the  others ;  the  hind-feet 
cat-like. 

Tail. — Moderately  short,  set  on  where  arch  in  quarters 
ends ;  thick  at  root,  tapering  gracefully,  and  not  carried 
higher  than  loin. 

Coat. — Short,  close,  and  glossy  ;  not  soft. 

Color. — A  feature  of  great  importance  in  this  breed. 
The  recognized  colors  must  not  only  be  true  but  distinctly 
defined  or  sharply  marked  off  and  confined  to  limited 
regions.  Black  is  the  prevailing  color,  so  that  at  a  dis- 
tance the  dog  appears  black.  The  tan  is  described  as  a 
rich  or  warm  mahogany  tan,  which  is  distributed  as  fol- 
lows :  Small  spot  over  each  eye,  and  another  on  each 


52  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

cheek,  which  latter  must  be  as  small  as  possible ;  lips  of 
upper  and  lower  jaws,  extending  under  jaw  to  throat  in 
shape  of  letter  Y ;  inside  of  ear  in  part ;  fore-legs  to  knee, 
with  black  patch  ("  thumb-mark  ")  between  pastern  and 
knee ;  toes  must  have  a  distinct  black  line  on  each  ("  pencil- 
mark  ") ;  on  hind-legs  up  inside  of  thigh  to  a  little  below 
stifle ;  outside  of  legs  must  be  perfectly  black  ;  tan  under 
tail,  and  but  sufficient  to  be  covered  by  tail. 

Weight. — Between  fourteen  and  twenty-two  pounds. 

A  dog  under  seven  pounds  is  a  toy,  which  is  judged 
by  the  same  standard,  but  is  rarely  so  perfect,  especially 
in  head. 

The  Yorkshire  Terrier. — Being  a  toy  dog,  he  has  lost  a 
great  deal  of  the  true  terrier  character,  though  in  some 
specimens  much  more  is  found  than  in  others.  In  this 
breed  coat  is  the  feature  of  the  dog,  and  is  allowed  a  large 
proportion  of  the  entire  marks.  In  the  words  of  the 
adopted  standard,  his  general  appearance  "  should  be  that 
of  a  long-coated  pet-dog,  the  coat  hanging  quite  straight 
and  evenly  down  each  side,  a  part  extending  from  the  nose 
to  the  end  of  the  tail.  The  animal  should  be  very  com- 
pact and  neat,  the  carriage  being  very  sprightly,  bearing 
an  important  air.  Although  the  frame  is  hidden  beneath 
a  mantle  of  hair,  the  general  outline  should  be  such  as  to 
suggest  the  existence  of  a  vigorous  and  well-proportioned 
body."  In  accordance  with  the  above,  uneven  jaws,  crook- 
ed legs,  uneven  back  and  loin  can  not  be  tolerated  (p.  96). 

Head. — Rather  small  and  flat  in  skull,  somewhat  broad 
in  muzzle,  perfectly  black  nose;  eyes  of  medium  size? 
dark  in  color,  bright,  intelligent,  looking  straightforward, 
with  dark-edged  eyelids. 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  53 

Ears. — If  not  cut,  they  should  be  small,  Y-shaped,  and 
carried  semi-erect ;  if  cut,  quite  erect. 

Coat. — As  long  and  straight  (not  wavy)  as  possible, 
silk-like  (not  woolly),  extending  from  back  of  head  to  root 
of  tail. 

Color. — A  bright  steel-blue,  and  on  no  account  to  have 
any  fawn,  light,  or  dark  hairs.  Hair  on  muzzle  very  long 
and  of  a  bright  golden  tan ;  on  sides  of  head  very  long 
and  of  a  little  deeper  tan,  especially  about  roots  of  ears. 
Ears  are  covered  with  short  hair  of  a  deep,  dark  tan. 
Legs  covered  with  tan  hair  a  few  shades  lighter  at  the 
ends  than  at  the  roots. 

Weight. — Divided  usually  into  two  classes — dogs  un- 
der five  pounds  and  over  five  pounds,  but  not  to  exceed 
twelve  pounds.  Sometimes  classified  as  toy  terriers  under 
seven  pounds.  One  of  the  most  popular  small  dogs  in 
America. 

Scotch  Terriers. — The  hard-haired  Scotch  terrier  and 
the  Skye  terrier  are  of  Scotch  origin,  and  bear  the  impress 
both  of  the  climate  of  the  country  and  of  the  character 
of  the  people  that  has  such  strongly  pronounced  national 
characteristics  (pp.  104,  120). 

These  dogs,  when  of  the  best  strain,  are  docile,  coura- 
geous, affectionate,  and  faithful  in  a  high  degree.  They 
are  essentially  vermin  dogs,  but  to  an  unusual  extent  show 
also  qualities  which  fit  them  for  being  the  companions  of 
man.  Though  not  so  popular  in  America  as  some  other 
breeds,  they  are  kept  with  pride  by  many  a  self -expatriated 
Scot  who  has  not  forgotten  the  associations  of  his  boyhood 
and  the  canine  friends  of  his  old  home. 

Both  the  Scotch  and  the  Skye  are  long,  low,  strongly 


54  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

made  dogs,  provided  with  a  coat  admirably  adapted  to  re- 
sist wet  and  cold,  and  so  fitting  them  for  entering  burrows 
after  their  quarry  and  facing  any  weather  however  bleak. 

The  Skye  is  an  especially  long  dog,  with  an  ill-defined 
outline  owing  to  length  of  coat.  A  good  Skye  should 
measure  in  length  three  times  its  height.  The  Scotch  is 
also  long,  but  not  in  such  proportion  as  the  Skye.  Both 
these  breeds  are  more  cobby  in  build  than  other  terriers, 
and  are  not  adapted  for  great  speed ;  with  their  power- 
ful limbs,  however,  such  conformation  adapts  them  for 
forcing  quarry  from  a  burrow,  while  their  powerful  jaws 
and  teeth  make  their  grip  firm  and  punishing. 

In  weight  neither  breed  should  exceed  twenty  pounds ; 
better  if  a  little  less. 

Coat. — In  the  Scotch  terrier  proper  it  is  rather  short 
(about  two  inches),  very  dense,  and  extremely  hard  and 
wiry. 

In  the  Skye  the  hair  should  be  long,  straight,  shining, 
like  that  of  a  horse's  tail ;  silkiness,  woolliness,  or  curl  to 
be  avoided,  though  on  the  top  of  the  head  it  may  approach 
silkiness. 

Colors. — In  the  Scotch,  steel  or  iron  gray,  black  brindle, 
brown  brindle,  gray  brindle,  black,  sandy,  and  wheaten ; 
white  markings  undesirable  and  not  permissible,  except  a 
little  on  chest. 

In  the  Skye  the  colors  most  favored  are  in  their  order 
of  preference — steel  gray,  with  black  tips  to  ears  and  tail ; 
fawn,  with  dark-brown  tips;  dark  slaty-blue,  black,  and 
pure  fawn. 

The  Skyes  are  divided  into  drop-eared  and  prick-eared, 
which  terms  in  themselves  express  the  main  difference. 


CLASSIFICATION   OF  DOGS.  55 

The  Bull-terrier. — The  strongest,  heaviest,  and  perhaps 
the  gamest  of  all  the  terriers  (p.  136). 

He  is  quick  to  take  offence  from  another  dog,  and 
in  fighting  is  very  tenacious ;  but  he  is  often  affectionate, 
docile,  and  very  companionable. 

Like  other  all-white  dogs,  etc.,  he  is  liable  to  deafness. 

General  Appearance. — "  The  general  appearance  of 
the  bull-terrier  is  that  of  a  symmetrical  animal,  an  embodi- 
ment of  agility,  grace,  elegance,  and  determination." 

Head. — Long,  flat,  wide  between  the  ears,  tapering  to 
the  nose,  without  cheek-muscles.  There  should  be  a  slight 
indentation  down  the  face,  without  a  "  stop  "  between  the 
eyes ;  jaws  long  and  powerful,  with  large  black  and  open 
nostrils ;  eyes  small  and  very  black ;  lips  meeting  tightly 
without  any  fold  ;  teeth  regular  and  even  in  front. 

Ears. — Always  cropped  hitherto  in  the  show  dog,  and 
in  a  peculiar  manner. 

Chest. — Wider  than  in  other  breeds  of  terriers. 

Feet.— More  of  the  "  hare  "  than  of  the  "  cat "  type, 
but  compact  and  well-arched.  Shoulders,  back,  loin,  legs, 
etc.,  to  suit  a  dog  of  the  active  type. 

Tail. — Set  on  low ;  thick  at  root  and  tapering  to  a  fine 
point;  carried  at  an  angle  of  about  45°,  without  curl,  and 
never  over  the  back ;  usually  ten  to  twelve  inches  long. 

Color. — All  white. 

Coat. — Glossy,  short,  close,  and  stiff. 

Weight. — From  fifteen  to  fifty  pounds. 

Other  Breeds  of  Terriers.* — The  varieties  of  terriers 

*  For  an  illustration  of  the  Boston  terrier,  see  p.  140.  This  breed 
has  lately  become  rather  popular  in  America,  and  classes  for  them  are 
provided  at  some  shows.  It  is  intermediate  between  the  bull-dog  and 
the  bull-terrier. 


56  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

not  yet  referred  to  are  but  little  known  in  America,  and 
may  be  briefly  described. 

The  Welsh  Terrier. — He  may  be  regarded  as  very  like 
a  black  and  tan,  wire-haired  fox-terrier,  but  rather  larger 
and  with  a  heavier  head  (p.  144:). 

The  Airedale  Terrier. — After  the  bull-terrier,  the  tallest 
and  largest  of  this  class.  His  form  departs  little  from  what 
might  be  termed  average  terrier  type.  He  stands  rather 
high  on  the  leg,  and  the  tail  is  usually  docked  (p.  152). 

Coat. — Rough  or  broken,  dense  and  wiry  in  texture, 
and  free  from  curl  or  lock. 

Color. — Dark  grizzle  from  occiput  to  end  of  tail,  ex- 
tending also  down  sides  of  body,  with  dark  markings  on 
side  of  skull ;  rest  of  body  a  good  tan,  which  should  be 
darker  on  ears  than  elsewhere. 

Weight. — Dogs,  forty  to  forty-five  pounds;  bitches, 
thirty-five  to  forty  pounds. 

Dandle  Dinmont  Terrier. — Differing  so  from  all  other 
terriers  in  eyes,  ears,  general  shape  of  head,  with  its  top- 
knot, and  being  of  a  somewhat  unmanageable  disposi- 
tion when  he  scents  "  fur,"  it  is  suspected  by  some  good 
authorities  that  a  Dachshund  cross  occurred  at  some  time 
in  the  history  of  the  breed. 

The  skull  is  wide  and  heavy,  forehead  domed,  power- 
ful teeth  and  jaws ;  eyes  wide  apart,  full,  and  round ;  ears 
large,  pendulous,  wide  apart,  low-set  on  skull.  The  head 
is  covered  with  very  soft,  silky  hair,  forming  a  "top- 
knot," but  not  confined  to  the  forehead.  The  ears  are 
covered  with  soft,  straight,  brown  hair,  and  have  a  thin 
feather  of  lighter-colored  hair  like  the  top-knot. 

Legs. — Short,  straight  (liable  to  be  bandy),  very  strong, 
and  set  wide  apart  in  front. 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  57 

Chest. — Wider  than  in  most  terriers. 

Coat. — Yery  difficult  to  secure  correct  in  this  breed. 
It  is  termed  piley  or  penciled — i.  e.,  a  mixture  of  hard  and 
soft  hair,  giving  a  crisp  feel  to  the  hand ;  the  hard  hair 
should  be  wiry,  the  hair  on  under  part  of  body  being 
softer,  also  lighter  in  color. 

Color. — "  Pepper  "  or  "  mustard  " — i.  e.,  of  various 
shades  suggested  by  these  colors  but  impossible  of  descrip- 
tion in  words. 

Size  and  Weight. — Height  at  shoulder,  eight  to  eleven 
inches;  length  not  more  than  twice  the  height.  Best 
weight,  eighteen  pounds. 

The  Bedlington  Terrier. — Another  peculiar-looking  ter- 
rier, standing  rather  high  on  the  leg,  and  with  somewhat 
hound-like  ears  and  a  top-knot.  He  is  a  hardy,  game, 
useful  dog  (p.  160). 

/Skull. — Narrow,  deep,  and  rounded,  high  at  occiput, 
and  covered  with  a  top-knot  of  silky  hair. 

Ears. — Kather  large,  filbert-shaped,  well  forward,  lying 
close  to  cheek. 

Eyes. — Small  and  well  sunk. 

Feet. — Eather  long  and  large. 

Tail. — Of  characteristic  shape  and  carriage. 

Chest,  etc. — Chest  not  wide,  but  deep  and  flat-ribbed — 
well  "  ribbed  up "  (deep  back  ribs) ;  back  rising  into  an 
arched  loin ;  quarters  rather  light. 

Coat. — Hard,  with  close  bottom,  and  not  lying  flat  to 
sides  ("linty"). 

Color. — Dark  blue,  blue  and  tan,  liver,  liver  and  tan, 
sandy,  sandy  and  tan. 

Size. — Height,  fifteen  to  sixteen  inches ;  weight,  eight- 
een to  twenty-four  pounds. 


58  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

This  breed  of  terrier  should  be  a  light,  "  lathy  "  dog ; 
he  is  apt  to  fail  in  back  ribs,  etc.  In  this  breed  the 
stifles  are  apt  to  be  rather  straight  and  the  hocks  placed 
very  high. 

The  Paisley  Terrier. — In  general  appearance  a  long, 
low,  stoutly-built  dog,  with  an  intelligent  expression,  and  a 
long,  flowing,  flat-lying,  straight  coat.  The  appearance  of 
the  head  depends  a  good  deal  on  the  ears,  which  stand  up 
quite  straight,  are  set  on  high,  covered  with  long  hair,  and 
well  fringed. 

Coat. — Long,  flat,  and  silky;  the  longer  and  finer  the 
better  ;  a  part  extends  from  shoulder  to  tail. 

Color. — Various  shades  of  blue,  dark  blue  preferred, 
but  of  a  lighter  shade  on  head  and  legs. 

The  Clydesdale  Terrier. — A  long,  low  dog,  with  a  large 
head  and  a  coat  that  resembles  silk  or  suggests  spun  glass. 
A  fancy  terrier,  but  hardier  than  the  Yorkshire  or  Maltese. 

Ears. — Yery  characteristic,  small,  set  on  high,  per- 
fectly erect  in  carriage,  covered  with  long  silky  hair  (well 
feathered). 

Color. — Hanging  from  dark  blue  to  light  fawn,  the 
first  preferred. 

The  Maltese  Terrier. — A  very  small  (must  not  be  over 
six  pounds)  toy  terrier,  in  which  coat  and  color  are  of 
chief  importance. 

Coat. — Long,  silky,  with  a  slight  wave  ;  woolliness  and 
curl  are  very  objectionable. 

Color. — Pure  white,  suggesting  spun  glass ;  fawn 
patches  may  occur,  but  are  highly  undesirable. 

Nose  black  ;  eyes  full  and  black  and  not  "  weeping  "  ; 
tail  short  and  curled  tightly  over  the  back. 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  59 


CLASS  IV. 

DOMESTICATED    DOGS,    FINDING    THEIK    GAME    BY    SCENT,    BUT 
NOT  KILLING  IT  ;    AND  USED  CHIEFLY  IN  AID  OF  THE  GUN. 

These  include  the  pointer  and  the  different  kinds  of 
setters  and  spaniels. 

It  will  greatly  facilitate  the  mastery  of  the  points  of 
these  breeds,  as  well  as  prepare  for  a  criticism  of  the 
adopted  standards,  if  we  first  consider,  according  to  the 
principles  already  laid  down,  the  work  or  purpose  for 
which  they  are  intended.  None  of  these  breeds  are,  as  a 
rule,  employed  to  hunt  "  fur,"  hence  the  fleetness  of  the 
greyhound  is  not  required,  nor  his  form  or  characteristics 
in  a  very  high  degree.  They  are  all  employed  to  discover 
and  indicate  the  whereabouts  of  game  birds.  For  this 
purpose  keen  scenting  powers  are  the  primary  requisite, 
and  after  that  the  pointing  instinct.  This  may  be  re- 
garded as  an  example  of  an  acquired  instinct ;  for,  although 
all  breeds  of  dogs  and  all  the  wild  congeners  of  the  dog 
tend  to  stop  when  prey  is  discovered,  and  in  certain  cases 
to  steal  upon  it  by  cautious  advances,  in  none  of  them  has 
the  actual  rigid  or  cataleptic  condition  of  the  muscles  been 
developed,  at  all  events  in  any  high  degree.  There  is  in 
all  of  these  groups  of  animals  the  fundamental  instinct  or 
tendency  out  of  which  such  a  remarkable  condition  of  the 
nervous  and  muscular  system  has  been  evolved,  and  which 
is  now  termed  "  pointing." 

Dogs  have  been  known  to  remain  in  this  condition 
("  on  point ")  for  many  hours,  showing  that  it  is  not  an 
act  of  will  or  a  mere  taught  habit ;  though  of  course  the 


60  THE  DOG  Itf  HEALTH. 

training  and  selection  of  the  dogs  showing  it  in  the 
highest  degree  for  generations  are  the  means  by  which  so 
remarkable  an  instinct  has  been  developed. 

Indeed,  the  modern  pointer  and  setter  are  capital  ex- 
amples of  the  process  of  "  artificial  selection,"  or  "  the  sur- 
vival of  the  fittest,"  or  what  man  conceives  to  be  the 
fittest.  For  many  years  both  in  Britain  and  America 
field  trials  or  public  competitions  in  actual  hunting  have 
weeded  out  the  poorer  specimens  and  brought  the  best  to 
the  front,  so  that  breeding  from  these,  dogs  of  a  superior 
class  have  been  produced. 

"While  a  dog  deficient  in  nose  or  pointing  instinct  is 
useless,  of  equal  or  more  importance  are  other  qualities, 
particularly  a  specialized  intelligence  of  a  high  order  well 
characterized  as  "  bird-sense  "  or  good  judgment  in  seek- 
ing for  birds  where  they  are  most  likely  to  be  found,  and 
so  deporting  himself  throughout  as  to  find  the  birds  as  soon 
as  his  nose,  powers  of  speed,  etc.,  will  allow,  all  being  re- 
lated to  economy  of  energy.  But  with  these  qualities  of 
highest  importance  must  be  joined  docility  and  tractability, 
and  from  the  physical  side  speed  and  endurance. 

We  may  say,  then,  that  with  the  requisite  general  and 
special  developments  of  the  nervous  system,  especially  of 
the  brain  and  the  sense  of  smell,  there  must  be  that  physi- 
cal form  and  constitution  that  enables  the  dog  to  move 
rapidly  and  to  continue  long  at  his  work.  If  he  has  these 
qualities,  symmetry  and  beauty  are  of  secondary  impor- 
tance. However,  it  but  rarely  happens  that  the  above 
exist  in  a  high  degree  without  a  fair  amount  of  the  latter, 
as  the  relative  proportion  of  parts  must  have  a  great  deal 
to  do  with  both  speed  and  endurance. 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  61 

Exceptional  cases  occur  no  doubt.  These  do  not  prove 
that  form  is  of  no  consequence,  but  they  do  seem  to  teach 
the  lesson  that  of  however  great  importance  a  strong  and 
symmetrical  form  may  be,  a  sound  constitution  and  a  well- 
developed  brain  and  nervous  system  generally  are  much 
more  so.  The  nervous  system  is  always  king  in  the  high- 
est classes  of  animals  of  every  kind.  It  rarely  happens 
that  a  very  successful  field-dog  is  wanting  in  the  parts 
most  successful  in  propulsion,  as  loins,  quarters,  legs,  and 
feet,  though  he  may  be  defective  in  head  parts,  neck, 
shoulders,  back,  or  even  chest. 

But  should  we  not  endeavor  as  our  highest  ideal  to 
combine  "  bench-show  form  "  with  "  field  form  "  ?  What 
meaning  has  the  former  if  not  related  to  the  latter  in  a 
hunting  dog  ?  Our  aim  should  be  to  discover  what  the 
latter  is,  and  adapt  bench  form  to  field  form,  or,  rather, 
make  them  identical. 

What  in  a  general  way  is  "field  form,"  or  that  best 
adapted  for  work  in  the  field,  should  not  be  very  difficult 
to  determine  with  the  greyhound,  the  foxhound,  the  race- 
horse, and  the  hunter  before  us.  Evidently,  if,  as  is  now 
the  custom,  in  consequence  of  the  relative  scarcity  of 
game,  a  dog  that  is  both  fast  and  lasting  is  required,  a 
form  approaching  a  mean  between  that  of  the  foxhound 
and  the  greyhound  must  be  attained.  And  in  considering 
this,  one  must  not  be  led  astray  by  the  eminence  certain 
strains  of  dogs  have  attained.  That  eminence  is  no  doubt 
largely  due  to  a  specially  cultivated  and  developed  intelli- 
gence, and  the  subject  must  be  studied  on  a  wider  basis 
than  the  one  sometimes  adopted. 

The  nature  of  the  country  and  the  climate  must  not  be 


62  THE  DOG  IK  HEALTH. 

left  out  of  the  account.  But,  turning  to  general  principles, 
How  shall  the  end  be  attained  as  regards  physical  form  so 
that  an  animal  may  be  built  up  that  shall,  provided  he  has 
the  nose  and  the  brains,  be  able  to  put  these  to  the  most 
effective  use  ? 

Setter  and  pointer  form  will  be  first  considered.  It 
is  to  be  remembered  that  these  dogs  must  traverse  all 
sorts  of  surface,  pass  through  water  often  very  cold,  over 
snow  and  ice,  crush  through  thorny  and  brambly  vegeta- 
tion, and  all  this  at  a  very  considerable  speed.  Such  a 
form,  combining  grace  and  utility,  experience  proves  is 
built  up  on  the  following  principles,  most  of  which  have 
been  alluded  to  before  : 

Head. — A  longish  skull,  getting  its  capacity  rather  by 
length  and  depth  than  width,  and  suiting  thus  the  dog's 
general  form,  more  especially  that  of  his  long  and  not 
very  wide  but  deep  muzzle ;  eyes  mild,  bright,  and  of 
medium  fullness,  thus  suggesting  intelligence  and  docility  ; 
ears  long,  low-placed,  feathered,  and  so  adapted  to  his 
general  character  as  well  as  protective  to  eyes  and  inner 
ears ;  muzzle  long,  deep,  and  fairly  wide ;  square-cut  at 
end,  indicating  that  the  jaws  are  even,  with  a  large  nose 
and  widely  open  nostrils.  Such  a  muzzle  provides  for  a 
large  distribution  of  the  olfactory  nerve,  and  such  a  nose 
readily  admits  air. 

Neck. — Clean,  graceful,  and  long  enough  to  admit  of 
the  dog's  catching  the  foot-scent  or  reaching  the  ground 
without  stooping. 

Shoulders,  lack,  loin,  quarters,  legs,  and  feet  of  the 
kind  adapted  for  speed  and  endurance.  The  back  need 
not  have  all  the  muscular  development,  the  loin  so  much 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  6% 

arch,  the  quarters  be  so  wide,  nor  the  lower  thighs  so  de- 
veloped as  in  the  greyhound,  but  we  must  not  forget  that 
perfect  model  for  speed  while  we  seek  to  combine  this 
quality  with  endurance. 

The  bone  of  the  legs,  the  pasterns,  and  the  feet  must 
in  strength  and  formation  combine  the  features  of  these 
parts  in  the  greyhound  and  the  foxhound.  A  dog  weak 
in  these  is,  so  to  speak,  weak  all  over — i.  e.,  his  otherwise 
fine  powers  of  intellect  and  body  are  of  little  use.  The 
chest  is  both  deep  and  wide,  but  not  in  front  or  between 
the  fore-legs;  capacity  is  attained  by  depth  and  spring 
of  ribs,  but  the  chest  must  be  keeled  and  in  no  sense 
barrel-shaped,  though  in  the  English  and  Gordon  setter 
the  back  is  wide ;  the  chest  must  be  well  ribbed  back 
(deep  back-ribs.)  In  the  setter  the  feet  should  be  all  that 
is  attained  in  the  best  pointers,  but,  in  addition,  have  plenty 
of  hair  between  the  toes  as  an  additional  protection. 

Coat  on  all  these  breeds  must  be  very  abundant,  espe- 
cially on  ears,  legs,  breast,  and  tail,  where  it  constitutes  a 
long  fringe  or  "  feather."  This  feather  adds  to  the  grace 
of  the  setter,  but  is  of  questionable  advantage,  inasmuch 
as  it  tends  to  catch  all  burs,  etc.,  and  must  hamper  as  well 
as  possibly  protect.  The  tendency  seems  to  be,  as  greater 
speed  is  sought  for,  to  do  with  less  feather,  and,  we  think, 
wisely.  The  pointer's  coat  is  short  and  soft,  but  not  fine 
(silky,  almost)  as  in  the  setter's.  Yery  great  fineness  of 
texture  of  coat  in  either  setters  or  pointers  may  indicate 
lack  of  stamina,  as  a  coarseness  may  suggest  bad  breeding, 
or  that  the  possessor  is  wanting  in  high  psychical  quality. 

As  these  breeds  are  never  required  "  to  go  to  earth," 
there  is  no  necessity  for  a  hard,  much  less  a  wiry,  coat. 


64:  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

If  the  pointer  were  covered  with  a  similar  coat,  he 
would,  in  general  appearance,  greatly  resemble  the  setter. 
Nevertheless,  there  are  differences  the  trained  eye  can  read- 
ily discern  among  the  various  breeds  of  setters,  and  much 
more  between  them  and  the  pointer.  These  points  have 
never  been  very  clearly  defined  in  words,  and  it  is  doubtful 
if  they  can  be,  unless  very  full  descriptions  and  accurate 
proportional  measurements  be  given.  However,  they  can 
be  engraved  on  the  memory  by  illustrations  of  the  best 
dogs,  though,  of  course,  better  still  by  far  from  seeing 
typical  specimens  of  the  breeds.  We  shall  now  mention 
some  of  the  salient  differences. 

The  Gordon  is  the  largest,  heaviest,  and  slowest  of  the 
setters ;  the  Irish  the  tallest,  most  lightly  built,  but  most 
wiry  and  active,  perhaps ;  while  the  English  is  the  mean 
between  the  other  two  (see  pp.  176,  184,  192,  208). 

Head. — Skull  in  the  pointer  wider  from  ear  to  ear; 
consists  of  two  rounded  flats  separated  by  a  furrow ;  de- 
cided stop,  brows,  and  occipital  protuberance. 

The  whole  head  of  the  Gordon  is  heavier  than  in  the 
other  setters,  but  in  shape  much  resembles  that  of  the 
English.  The  skull  of  the  English  setter  is  between  that 
of  the  pointer  and  cocker  spaniel,  though  the  tendency 
now  is  to  a  longer  head  and  neck.  In  all  these  breeds  the 
stop  and  brows  are  well  marked,  and  there  should  be  en- 
tire absence  of  "  cheekiness,"  and  both  skull  and  muzzle 
should  be  well  chiseled  or  clean-cut. 

The  Irish  setter's  head  is  long  and  lean,  in  harmony 
with  the  general  build  of  the  dog.  The  skull  is  peculiar, 
being  oval,  with  a  very  pronounced  occipital  protuber- 
ance— a  domed  skull.  The  ears  in  all  should  hang  close 


1 1 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  65 

and  be  low-set,  which  applies,  of  course,  to  the  pointer 
also. 

The  eyes  should  be  dark,  always  having  reference  to 
the  color  of  the  dog ;  but  there  is  a  strong  tendency  for 
light  eyes  to  appear,  and  they  greatly  militate  against  the 
true  expression  of  the  animal.  A  downright  yellow  eye 
is  an  abomination  in  any  breed  of  dog. 

In  all  setters  the  nose  should  be  black  or  dark  liver- 
color  ;  but  in  lemon  and  white  pointers  and  setters  it  may 
be  flesh-color.  In  the  Irish  setter  it  is  described  as  "  dark 
mahogany  "  or  "  dark  chocolate." 

Shoulders. — The  Irish  setter  is  the  most  "  upstanding  " 
of  all  these  breeds,  and  his  shoulders  should  be  very  per- 
fect both  at  joints  (points)  and  withers.  This  adds  greatly 
to  the  character  and  quality  of  the  dog. 

Loin. — The  loin  in  all  setters  and  the  pointer  should 
be  slightly  arched,  but  not  roach-backed  or  "wheel- 
backed,"  as  in  the  bulldog. 

Quarters. — All  should  be  broad  and  muscular  here ; 
but  the  Irish  setter  is  the  most  ragged-looking  in  hips  and 
quarters ;  in  fact,  this  dog  should  be  throughout  eminent- 
ly muscular  and  wiry ;  he  should  be  entirely  free  from 
"lumber." 

Feet. — The  cat-foot  is  preferred  in  the  pointer,  and  a 
foot  with  abundance  of  hair  between  the  toes  in  the  setter. 
This  is  most  likely  to  be  found  in  the  hare-foot,  though 
in  other  respects  it  is  probably  not  equal  to  the  cat-foot, 
and  certainly  does  not  look  so  well. 

Tail  ("flag"  of  setters,  stern  of  pointers)  is  carried 
curved  and  nearly  on  a  level  with  the  back  in  all  breeds. 
It  should  begin  strong  and  taper  to  a  point.  A  well- 


66  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

carried,  "sting-like"  tail  is  a  fine  feature  in  a  pointer, 
and  a  similar  carriage,  with  a  nice  feather  to  the  tail,  adds 
greatly  to  a  setter's  appearance.  Nevertheless,  it  has  so 
little  to  do  with  actual  hunting  ability  that  it  should  count 
but  little  in  the  total  estimate. 

Coat. — Decidedly  silky  in  the  English  setter,  not  quite 
so  much  so  in  the  Irish,  and  harder  and  coarser  in  the 
Gordon.  In  none  should  there  be  any  tendency  to  wavi- 
ness  or  curl ;  in  the  pointer  not  silky,  but  soft  and  mellow. 
In  all  these  breeds  the  coat  should  be  close-lying  and 
dense. 

Color. — To  this,  great  importance  is  not  attached  in  the 
English  setter  or  pointer ;  liver  and  white  in  the  latter, 
and  black,  white,  and  tan,  and  the  "  blue  belton,"  or  white 
with  fine  black  flecks,  giving  a  roughly  ink-splashed  ap- 
pearance, are  the  most  preferred  now  in  the  former.  In 
the  Irish  setter  the  dark  or  mahogany-red  is  the  choice 
color.  In  the  Gordon,  color,  though  it  is  set  down  at  five 
per  cent.,  is  really  valued  higher.  The  same  importance, 
though  in  a  minor  degree,  is  attached  to  the  black  and  the 
tan  being  pure  and  distinct,  as  in  the  black  and  tan  ter- 
rier ;  and  though  it  is  admitted  that  the  original  Gordons 
were  black,  tan,  and  white,  the  latter  is  now  greatly  ob- 
jected to,  except  a  little  on  the  breast,  which,  as  in  the 
Irish  setter,  is  of  no  account. 

The  black  must  be  deep  and  pure,  the  tan  a  rich  or 
warm  mahogany-red,  and  confined  to  a  spot  over  each 
eye,  lips,  cheeks,  throat,  fore-legs  nearly  to  elbows,  hind- 
legs  to  stifles,  and  on  under  side  of  flag,  but  not  running 
into  its  long  hair. 

It  will  scarcely  be  necessary  to  add  anything  to  what 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  67 

has  already  been  said  on  the  importance  of  the  best  of 
legs  and  feet  in  hunting  dogs.  As  they  have  to  stop  sharp, 
"  or  point,"  when  in  rapid  motion,  there  is  a  great  strain 
on  the  ligaments  and  a  tendency  to  become  out  at  elbow, 
or  still  more  to  walk  with  the  fore-feet  either  out  or  in 
("  pigeon-toed  "),  or  to  "  knuckle  over  " — i.  e.,  with  the 
knee  and  pastern  not  in  line.  To  avoid  this,  young  dogs 
should  not  be  exercised  too  much  nor  over  too  rough 
country,  and  the  exercise  gradually  increased. 

Lengthy  and  too  often  bitter  controversies  have  raged 
over  the  respective  merits  of  the  different  breeds  of  set- 
ters and  pointers.  Such  discussions  should  be  conducted 
in  a  calm,  if  not  a  scientific,  spirit ;  but  we  venture  the 
opinion  that  they  are  in  general  productive  of  little  good 
and  much  harm,  and  lead  to  a  great  waste  of  energy  and 
the  engendering  of  bitter  feeling.  The  best  dog  is  that 
which  suits  his  master  best,  and  as  no  two  men  are  alike,  it 
follows  that  the  breed  best  adapted  to  one  man  is  not  ne- 
cessarily the  best  for  another.  There  is  room  for  all ;  and, 
indeed,  this  diversity  of  qualities  is  an  advantage.  The 
setters  may  be  better  able  to  resist  the  effects  of  wet,  cold, 
briers,  and  rough  footing,  but  they  catch  up  more  burs, 
bear  heat  and  drought  badly,  as  compared  with  the  pointer, 
and  are  neither  so  easily  trained  nor  so  tenacious  of  what 
they  learn  as  a  class ;  and  if  pointers  are  not  less  liable 
to  skin  disease,  they  are  more  easily  treated,  being  short- 
haired  dogs.  The  Irish  setter  may  be  faster,  have  more 
dash,  vim,  and  endurance  than  the  English  setter,  but  he 
is  not  very  readily  broken  or  very  easily  restrained  in 
the  field ;  and  so  we  might  continue  the  discussion.  But 
dog  and  man  must  be  considered  together.  Besides,  it 


68  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

must  not  be  forgotten  that  anything  to  which  a  man  has 
become  accustomed  may  be  better  for  him  though  not 
better  in  itself.  Dogs  suiting  the  English  style  of  shoot- 
ing must  be  adapted  to  that  in  vogue  in  America  before 
they  can  use  their  powers  to  advantage,  and  the  reverse. 

Two  strains  of  English  setters  have  been  famous  in 
modern  times,  the  Laverack  and  the  Llewellin. 

The  latter  was  formed  by  a  cross  of  the  former  with 
the  Duke-Rhaebe  blood.  These  strains  were  named  from 
the  gentlemen  in  whose  hands  they  were  formed  or  be- 
came renowned. 

The  Laverack  is  heavier  in  the  shoulders  and  chest, 
more  feathered,  and  perhaps  more  symmetrical. 

The  Llewellins  have  attained  great  eminence  in  field 
trials  in  America,  one  dog,  Gladstone,  but  recently  dead, 
having  become  a  "  name  to  conjure  by." 

We  have  devoted  a  good  deal  of  space  to  the  setter 
and  the  pointer  on  account  of  their  great  popularity  in 
America,  where  they  have  reached  a  degree  of  perfection 
perhaps  not  yet  equaled  elsewhere — at  all  events  as  re- 
gards setters,  whether  the  field  or  the  show  bench  be 
considered. 

The  author  has  just  one  more  remark  to  make  in  re- 
gard to  these  breeds.  The  setter  is  unquestionably  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  breeds  of  dogs  ever  seen,  and  it  is 
to  be  hoped  that  no  temporary  craze  or  mere  fad  will 
lead  to  the  production  of  dogs  so  small  or  so  spaniel- 
like  in  form  that  we  shall  lose  what  has  been  the  ad- 
miration and  the  result  of  the  work  of  generations  of 
gentleman  sportsmen  and  earnest  breeders ;  and  it  is 
further  to  be  hoped  that  bench-show  judges  will  not 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  69 

neglect  to  examine  into  the  muscular  development  and 
condition  of  the  dogs  that  came  before  them  in  some 
such  way  as  is  customary  with  the  greyhound,  for  a  dog 
that  has  not  plenty  of  muscle  and  in  hard  condition  is  not 
fit  for  work ;  and  a  dog  with  a  make-up  that  is  unsuited 
for  the  intended  purpose  should  not  win,  or  judging  will 
become  a  farce  and  bench-shows  a  hindrance  rather  than 
a  help  to  the  production  of  good  animals. 

The  Spaniels. — The  spaniels  do  not  point,  but  are 
taught  to  keep  within  a  short  distance  of  the  gun,  and 
give  tongue  when  game  is  discovered  by  the  nose.  The 
Clumber  spaniel,  however,  hunts  mute. 

In  Britain  the  breeds  most  in  favor  are  the  Clumber, 
the  field,  the  cocker,  the  Irish  water  spaniel,  and  the  Eng- 
lish water  spaniel.  In  America  the  only  one  of  the  span- 
iels that  is  thoroughly  popular  is  the  cocker,  and  even  he 
is  more  of  a  companion  or  a  house  dog  than  a  worker, 
hence  the  tendency  at  present  to  breed  very  small  speci- 
mens. Excepting  the  water  spaniels,  the  breeds  agree  in 
being  long,  stoutly  made,  low  dogs,  with  a  profusion  of 
coat  of  soft  texture. 

All  the  spaniels  should  be  of  an  eminently  docile  and 
sweet  disposition.  Those  of  the  opposite  characteristics 
should  be  discarded. 

The  Cocker  and  the  Field  Spaniels. — The  former  an  ac- 
tive, merry  little  dog,  strong  but  not  clumsy,  and  perhaps 
the  most  symmetrical  of  all  the  short-legged  group  (pp. 
216,  224,  230). 

Long,  low,  heavy-boned,  and  cobby  in  build,  but  a 
small  dog  (between  eighteen  and  twenty-eight  pounds). 

He  differs  from  the  field  spaniel  in  size,  relative  length, 


YO  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

and  head.  The  head  of  the  cocker,  as  a  whole,  is  not  so 
heavy,  nor  the  muzzle  so  square  throughout.  The  dome 
of  the  skull  of  the  cocker  should  correspond  nearly  with 
the  segment  of  a  circle.  Ears  in  both  low  set,  but  more 
so  in  the  field  spaniel,  in  which  they  are  also  larger. 

The  eyes  should  not  be  either  full  or  sunken,  and  in 
color  correspond  with  the  coat.  They  are  apt  to  be  too 
light,  which  spoils  the  expression.  The  correct  amount 
of  stop  and  cleanness  of  chiseling,  with  correct  eyes,  has 
much  to  do  with  quality  in  both  breeds — in  fact,  in  any 
breed  of  dogs. 

In  the  rest  of  the  form  the  field  spaniel  and  the  cocker 
differ  but  little  from  each  other. 

The  neck  should  be  long  enough  to  allow  the  nose  to 
reach  the  ground,  but  free  from  throatiness;  shoulders 
muscular  and  sloping ;  chest  fairly  wide  and  deep ;  ribs 
well  sprung  and  extending  back,  so  that  the  coupling  shall 
be  short ;  the  loin  strong,  and  the  flank  not  tucked  up. 

Legs  and  Feet  are  parts  which,  in  spaniels  as  in 
all  other  very  long  and  low  dogs,  are  apt  to  be  wrong. 
Legs  should  be  strong  in  bone,  to  support  weight  and 
enable  the  animal  to  push  through  thick  coverts;  fore- 
legs short  and  straight  (not  bandy)  ;  elbows  free,  and 
neither  in  nor  out ;  hind-legs  strong,  with  well-bent  stifle 
and  good  hocks,  turning  neither  in  nor  out.  Feet  of 
moderate  size,  thick ;  toes  well  arched,  pads  hard,  and 
plenty  of  hair  between  the  toes. 

Length. — It  is  still  agreed  that  the  field  spaniel  should 
be  very  long  and  low  ;  but  in  America  there  is  now  a  re- 
action against  cocker  dogs  as  long  as  those  high  in  favor 
in  England.  The  standard  in  vogue  says  of  the  cocker : 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  f  1 

"  From  tip  of  nose  to  root  of  tail,  about  twice  the  height 
at  shoulder,  rather  more  than  less." 

Coat. — Abundant,  soft,  and  silky,  straight  or  wavy, 
but  not  curly ;  chest,  legs,  ears,  and  tail  well  feathered. 

Color. — Black  preferred ;  liver,  black,  and  white,  and 
various  shades  of  red. 

Tail. — Usually  docked  ;  carried  nearly  level  with  the 
back ;  lower  when  at  work  and  in  rapid  movement. 

The  Clumber  Spaniel. — "A  long,  low,  heavy-looking  dog, 
of  a  very  thoughtful  expression,  betokening  intelligence. 
Should  have  the  appearance  of  great  power.  Sedate  in 
all  movements,  but  not  clumsy.  Weight  of  dogs,  between 
fifty-five  pounds  and  sixty-five  pounds ;  bitches,  from 
thirty-five  pounds  to  fifty  pounds  "  (Standard).  (P.  240.) 

Head. — Yery  characteristic,  being  massive  in  all  di- 
mensions, round  above  eyes,  flat  on  top,  with  a  furrow 
running  from  between  eyes  up  center  of  skull ;  stop  and 
occipital  protuberance  pronounced ;  jaw  long,  broad,  and 
deep ;  muzzle  not  square,  but  powerful-looking ;  nostrils 
large,  open,  and  flesh-colored,  sometimes  cherry-colored; 
eyes  soft,  large,  deep-set,  and  showing  haw,  hazel  in  color, 
with  dignified  and  intelligent  expression ;  ears  long  and 
broad  at  top,  turned  over  on  front  edge,  vine-shaped,  low- 
set,  and  close,  slightly  feathered  on  front  edge  only,  with 
straight,  short,  silky  hair. 

Length. — About  two  and  a  half  times  height  at 
shoulder. 

Coat. — Silky,  straight,  very  dense,  but  not  very  long  ; 
feather  both  profuse  and  long. 

Color. — Lemon  and  white,  and  orange  and  white ; 
fewer  markings  on  body  the  better.  Solid  lemon  or 


72  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

orange  ears,  evenly  marked  head  and  eyes,  muzzle  and 
legs  ticked,  constitute  perfection  of  marking. 

Stern. — Usually  docked,  set  on  level,  and  carried  low. 

The  Norfolk  and  the  Sussex  spaniel  are  almost  un- 
known in  America. 

The  Irish  Water  Spaniel. — The  Irish  water  spaniel  has 
a  good  many  admirers,  but  does  not  enjoy  the  same  popu- 
larity in  America  as  in  Britain  (p.  256). 

No  dog  is  more  adapted  for  retrieving  from  water  or 
being  the  duck-shooter's  companion,  unless  it  be  the  very 
homely  Chesapeake  Bay  dog.  He  is  very  intelligent,  but 
not  always  equally  good-tempered.  His  general  appear- 
ance is  that  of  a  handsome,  strong,  rather  leggy  dog,  with 
very  striking  physical  characteristics. 

Head. — Skull  of  medium  length,  rather  broad,  with 
but  a  slight  stop ;  muzzle  long  and  broad  to  the  end  ;  eyes 
dark-brown  and  with  an  intelligent  expression ;  ears  long 
and  covered  with  curls. 

Chest. — Deep  rather  than  wide.  Loin  somewhat 
arched. 

Stifles  rather  straight ;  hocks  well  let  down. 

Stern. — Strong  at  root,  tapering  to  a  fine  point ;  hair 
on  it  very  short,  straight,  and  close-lying. 

Legs  and  Feet. — Legs  long,  but  strong  in  bone ;  feet 
somewhat  large. 

Coat. — All  over,  except  on  face  and  tail,  little  curls, 
hard  and  not  woolly.  On  forehead  a  top-knot  of  long 
hair,  falling  over  eyes  in  a  peak.  Legs  to  have  as  little 
feather  as  possible. 

Color. — A  rich  dark-liver,  free  from  white,  though  a 
little  of  the  latter  on  breast  or  toes  should  not  disqualify. 


I     I 

S      5 


S  I 

ft 

I 

i 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  73 

The  English  water  spaniel,  which  also  has  a  curly  coat 
and  is  a  useful  dog,  is  but  little  known  in  America. 

The  Retrievers. — A  dog  kept  purposely  to  retrieve 
dead  and  wounded  birds  on  land  is  not  employed  in 
America,  as  setters,  pointers,  and  spaniels  are  expected  to 
do  this ;  but  in  Britain  a  special  breed  for  this  purpose  is 
highly  esteemed  (p.  264). 

They  are  divided  into  two  classes — the  wavy-coated 
and  the  curly-coated  black  retriever.  Both  are  large  dogs 
of  about  eighty  pounds,  and  standing  twenty-five  to 
twenty-six  inches  in  height. 

These  breeds,  which  resemble  each  other  greatly  except 
in  coat,  have  been  formed,  in  all  probability,  by  a  cross 
between  the  Newfoundland  and  the  spaniel  (Irish)  or  the 
setter,  or  most  likely  both. 

In  general,  the  form  is  that  which  admits  of  consid- 
erable speed,  endurance,  and  stooping  power ;  hence  a  long 
neck  is  indispensable,  as  the'  dog  must  follow  the  foot- 
scent  to  seek  out  the  wounded  bird.  Scenting  powers  of 
the  highest  quality  are  essential,  as  well  as  docility  and 
a  desire  to  work  so  as  to  please  his  master.  A  bad-tem- 
pered dog  must  not  be  tolerated  on  the  bench  or  in  the 
field. 

Differences  "between  the  Breeds. — Tail. — In  the  wavy- 
coated  it  may  be  bushy,  but  in  the  curly-coated  the  hair 
should  be  short  and  curly,  and  bare  of  curls  toward  the 
tip. 

Coat. — Texture  of  coat  and  bareness  of  face  constitute 
the  chief  difference  between  the  breeds.  The  coat  in  the 
curly  dog  is  intermediate  between  wool  and  hair,  and 
very  oily.  On  the  whole  face  up  to  nearly  middle  of 


Y4  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

ears,  coat  should  be  quite  short  and  without  the  slightest 
waviness. 

In  the  wavy  dog  the  coat  is  short,  but  not  so  short  as 
in  the  hound  or  pointer,  set  close,  slightly  wavy,  and 
glossy. 

The  Chesapeake  Bay  Dog. — This  breed  comprises  large 
dogs,  highly  esteemed  in  duck  shooting,  and  originated,  as 
their  name  imports,  on  the  shores  of  the  Chesapeake  Bay, 
in  the  United  States.  Their  coat  is  adapted  to  resist 
water,  some  being  curly  and  others  straight-haired.  The 
type  is  not  very  well  marked,  nor  are  they  handsome 
dogs.  They  seem  to  be  intermediate  in  form  between  the 
Newfoundland  and  Irish  water  spaniel,  and  might  be 
called  the  American  retriever.  They  are  of  a  tawny 
sedge-color  or  red-brown. 

The  Dalmatian, — The  Dalmatian,  or  coach  dog,  may  be 
included  under  the  present  group,  as  in  his  native  country 
he  is  employed  as  the  pointer  is  with  us.  Upon  the  whole 
he  greatly  resembles  the  modern  pointer,  though  his  ears 
are  shorter,  his  carriage  of  tail  higher,  and  his  general 
bearing  in  movement  a  good  deal  different  to  the  experi- 
enced eye  (p.  280). 

The  dog  is  used  chiefly  to  follow  a  carriage,  making  a 
part  of  the  general  turn-out.  Accordingly,  he  should  be  a 
dog  adapted  for  a  long  journey  on  a  hard  road,  being  gen- 
erally muscular,  though  not  heavily  built,  and  with  good 
legs  and  the  best  of  feet. 

His  chief  attraction  resides  in  the  markings,  which,  by 
the  standard  of  the  club,  count  40  per  cent.  These  black 
spots  on  a  white  ground  should  be  between  the  size  of  an 
English  shilling  and  a  half-crown,  being  smaller  on  the 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  75 

head  and  tail.  There  must  be  nowhere  any  black  patches, 
and  as  few  "flecks"  or  "freckles"  as  possible.  Liver 
may  be  substituted  for  black,  but  is  not  so  popular  a 
marking.  The  spots  should  also  be  so  close  that  there 
will  not  seem  to  be  patches  of  white. 

The  Poodle.— On  the  Continent  of  Europe  the  poodle 
is  used  in  fowling,  both  on  land  and  water,  an  occupation 
for  which  his  high  intelligence  and  resisting  coat  ad- 
mirably adapt  him.  In  Britain  and  America  he  occupies 
the  role  of  ladies'  companion  and  house-dog  chiefly.  Of 
all  dogs  he  excels  in  learning  tricks,  and  his  general  intel- 
ligence is  very  high,  as  might  be  suspected  from  his  large, 
well-chiseled  skull,  and  the  significant  expression  of  his 
eyes  (p.  300). 

Coat  and  color  count  50  per  cent,  of  the  total  number 
of  marks. 

Head. — Skull  broad  and  large  generally ;  head  carried 
high. 

Muzzle. — Long  and  not  snipy ;  somewhat  shorter  and 
thicker  in  the  German  breed ;  in  the  French  dog,  nose  is  a 
clear  pink,  and  in  the  black  breed  jet  black ;  roof  of 
mouth  also  black. 

Eyes. — Dark  hazel,  clear,  and  should  look  direct  into 
the  face  of  the  one  addressing  the  dog. 

Ears. — Long,  and  thickly  covered  with  long,  silky 
hair. 

Chest. — Broad  and  fairly  deep. 

Tail. — Usually  docked,  carried  jauntily  at  an  angle  of 
about  forty-five  degrees. 

Coat. — In  the  Eussian,  wiry,  like  horse-hair ;  in  the 
French,  like  wool ;  in  the  corded,  made  up  of  long  ring- 


76  THE  BOG  IN  HEALTH. 

lets ;  but  in  all  it  should  be  very  thick,  springy  to  the  feel, 
and  glossy. 

Color. — Pure  white  or  pure  black,  though  a  sort  of 
liver-color  seems  to  be  coming  into  fashion. 

CLASS  V. 

PASTORAL   DOGS   AND   THOSE   USED   FOR   DRAUGHT. 

Sheep  Dogs. — These  include  the  rough  collie,  the  smooth 
collie,  and  the  bob- tailed  sheep  dog.  All  these  breeds  are 
remarkable  for  high  general  intelligence,  no  doubt  largely 
due  to  long  and  close  association  with  man  and  to  selection 
of  the  best  specimens  for  actual  work,  in  which  psychical 
qualities  have  been  more  considered  than  physical  ones. 
However,  it  must  be  apparent  that  dogs  physically  adapt- 
ed to  the  work  would  alone  survive.  Their  chief  use  for 
a  very  long  period  has  been  as  assistants  to  cattle-drovers, 
and  especially  shepherds.  Such  dogs  must  of  necessity 
be  capable  of  adapting  to  a  bleak  climate,  such  as  prevails 
on  the  hills  of  Scotland,  etc. ;  hence  a  coat  capable  of  re- 
sisting wet  and  cold  is  indispensable.  These  dogs  must 
also  be  of  a  strong  racing  build,  capable  of  easy  and  rapid 
movements.  Docility  of  a  high  order  and  an  intelligence 
specially  developed  for  this  one  occupation  of  herding  sheep 
and  horned  cattle  are  found  in  admirable  combination. 

The  rough  collie  has  become  very  popular  of  late  as  a 
show  dog  and  companion,  even  as  a  house-dog. 

The  collie  is  of  a  somewhat  jealous  disposition,  and 
does  not  welcome  strangers,  either  human  or  canine,  very 
cordially ;  and  in  a  kennel  with  dogs  of  other  breeds  he 
may  prove  very  troublesome. 

There  seems  to  be  a  tendency  to  pay  undue  attention 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  77 

to  profusion  of  coat  and  high  quality,  especially  in  head, 
to  the  neglect  of  other  qualities  in  the  show  dog.  The 
standard  allows  for  coat  20  per  cent,  of  the  total  marks  in 
the  rough  collie. 

Rough  CoUie.—IIead.— Skull  quite  flat  and  rather  broad, 
with  fine  tapering  muzzle  of  fair  length,  the  upper  teeth 
projecting  slightly  beyond  the  lower;  eyes  wide  apart, 
almond-shaped,  and  obliquely  set;  skin  of  head  tightly 
drawn,  no  folds  at  corners  of  mouth ;  ears  as  small  as  pos- 
sible, semi-erect  when  surprised  or  listening,  at  other  times 
thrown  back  and  buried  in  the  "  ruff  "  (p.  312). 

The  rest  of  the  build  corresponds  to  that  combination 
of  speed  and  strength  so  often  referred  to  before.  Neck 
rather  long ;  loin  also. 

Tail  (brush). — Long,  "  wi'  upward  swirl "  at  the  end, 
and,  except  under  excitement,  carried  low. 

Coat. — Except  on  legs  and  head  "  as  abundant  as  possi- 
ble " ;  outer  coat  dense,  straight,  hard,  and  rather  stiff ; 
under  coat  furry  and  so  dense  that  it  would  be  difficult  to 
find  the  skin.  The  "  ruff  "  and  "  frill "  very  full ;  but  little 
feather  on  fore-legs,  and  none  below  hocks  on  hind-legs. 

Color. — Immaterial,  but  sable  and  white,  black  and 
white,  and  black  and  tan  are  popular. 

Size. — Height  of  dogs,  twenty -two  to  twenty-four 
inches ;  of  bitches,  twenty  to  twenty-two  inches.  Yery 
small  and  very  large  and  coarse  specimens  are  to  be 
avoided. 

The  Smooth  Collie. — He  bears  a  close  resemblance,  ex- 
cept in  coat,  to  the  rough  dog,  but  his  head  is  not  so  foxy 
in  expression  nor  so  wedge-shaped. 

Coat. — Short,  hard,  and  smooth. 


78  THE  DOG  IK  HEALTH. 

The  Bob-tailed  Sheep  Dog. — This  breed  is,  above  all 
others,  the  drover's  dog,  and  seems  to  take  to  his  work  al- 
most as  a  duck  to  water.  The  best  specimens  are  devoid 
of  even  the  semblance  of  a  tail,  have  very  long,  shaggy 
coats,  both  head  and  legs  being  abundantly  covered. 
Though  not  handsome,  he  is  very  courageous,  and  useful 
in  the  highest  degree  (p.  320). 

The  Pomeranian,  Spitz,  or  Loup-Loup. — Employed  in  his 
native  land  as  a  sheep  dog,  he  has  become  in  Britain  and 
America  a  ladies'  pet,  of  attractive  appearance.  In  ap- 
pearance and  size  he  is  between  the  collie  and  the  fox, 
except  in  carriage  of  tail,  which  is  peculiar.  Head-parts 
are  very  foxy.  Coat  and  color  are  important,  counting 
thirty  per  cent.  Yery  small  specimens  are  now  favored 
in  Britain. 

Coat. — More  like  coarse  fur  than  hair;  undercoat 
woolly ;  general  distribution  of  long  and  short  hair, 
feather,  etc.,  as  in  the  collie. 

Color. — Black  or  white,  quite  pure. 

Tail. — Carried  curled  over  the  back  and  usually  on 
the  left  side ;  heavily  feathered  and  rather  short  in  dock. 

The  Newfoundland. — Employed  for  draught  purposes 
on  the  island  from  which  he  derives  his  name,  but  else- 
where chiefly  as  a  companion.  Being  an  animal  of  won- 
derful sagacity  and  nobility  of  nature,  he  was  long  one  of 
the  greatest  of  canine  favorites,  but  at  present  yields  in 
popularity  to  the  gigantic  St.  Bernard.  His  feats  in  life- 
saving  have  done  much  to  make  the  canine  race  popular 
and  respected  (p.  328). 

The  Newfoundland's  general  appearance  is  that  of  a  dog 
of  strength  and  general  activity.  He  should  move  freely 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  79 

on  his  legs,  with  the  body  swung  loosely  between  them, 
so  that  a  slight  roll  in  gait  should  not  be  objectionable ; 
but  at  the  same  time  a  weak  or  hollow  back,  slackness  of 
loins  or  cow-hocks,  constitute  grave  faults. 

Head. — Broad  and  massive ;  top  of  skull  flat ;  occipital 
protuberance  well  developed,  but,  unlike  the  St.  Bernard 
and  mastiff,  he  has  no  decided  stop ;  muzzle  short,  clean- 
cut,  and  rather  square  in  shape,  covered  with  short,  fine 
hair ;  eyes  small,  dark-brown,  rather  deeply  set,  without 
haw  and  somewhat  wide  apart ;  ears  small,  set  well  back, 
square,  with  the  skull  lying  close  to  head,  covered  with 
short  hair  and  without  fringe. 

Should  be  sound  throughout.  A  sway-back,  slack  loin, 
cow-hocks,  and  splayed  feet  are  very  objectionable,  as  be- 
fore stated,  and  they  are  not  uncommon. 

Tail. — "Without  flag  but  covered  with  long  hair,  usu- 
ally carried  low,  and  with  slight  curve ;  when  the  animal 
is  excited  or  in  motion,  carried  higher,  but  never  curled 
over  the  back,  and  should  never  have  a  kink  (turn  to  one 
side)  in  it. 

Color. — Jet  black. 

Coat. — Flat,  dense,  coarse  in  texture,  oily,  elastic. 

Height  and  Weight. — Average  height,  twenty-seven 
inches  at  shoulder  for  dogs  and  twenty-five  inches  for 
bitches ;  average  weight,  one  hundred  pounds  and  eighty- 
five  pounds,  respectively.  Large  size  desirable  if  accom- 
panied by  other  good  points  and  general  symmetry. 

Other  Varieties  of  Newfoundland. — The  St.  John's  or 
Labrador  dog  is  smaller  and  more  retriever-like  in  form ; 
in  fact,  it  is  probable  that  this  breed  has  entered  into  the 

formation  of  the  retriever. 
7 


80  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

The  Landseer  Newfoundland  should  in  all  respects 
follow  the  black  dog  except  in  color,  which  may  be  any 
that  disqualifies  for  the  black  class;  but  those  most  in 
favor  are  bronze  or  black  and  white,  beauty  in  markings 
to  count  high. 

The  Esquimau  Dog. — A  moderately  large  dog  of  twen- 
ty-two to  twenty-three  inches  in  height,  of  wolf-like  ap- 
pearance, though  the  head  is  rather  foxy,  covered  by  long 
hair  with  woolly  undercoat  and  a  long,  gently  curved, 
almost  bushy  tail. 

They  are  only  half  domesticated,  though  employed  in 
large  teams  to  draw  sledges  over  the  snow  and  ice  of 
northern  America,  usually  under  the  leadership  of  one  of 
their  number,  that  is  acknowledged  as  master.  They  are 
left  to  shift  very  much  for  themselves,  and  getting  but 
little  of  man's  confidence  or  affection,  give  but  little  in 
return. 

CLASS  VI. 

WATCH-DOGS    AND    HOUSE-DOGS. 

The  dogs  of  this  class  not  being  employed  for  securing 
game,  are  not  required  to  have  either  the  scenting  powers 
or  the  conformation  necessary  for  speed  or  for  endurance 
in  locomotion  found  in  hunting-dogs  ;  but,  on  the  contrary, 
that  adapted  for  attack  on  intruders  in  the  case  of  the 
larger  breeds,  and  in  all  the  disposition  and  intelligence 
fitting  them  for  guarding  persons  and  property. 

Most  of  them  give  warning  by  barking,  and,  in  fact,  in 
some  of  the  smaller  members  of  the  class  such  is  the  more 
important  part ;  to  this,  however,  the  bulldog  is  an  excep- 
tion, as  he  usually  attacks  without  any  warning  by  the  voice. 


THE  IRISH  TERRIER  PILGRIM. 
(K.  C.  S.  B.,  28,110.) 

For  description,  see  page  49. 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  81 

The  Bulldog. — It  is  quite  impossible  to  understand  this 
dog  either  physically  or  psychically  apart  from  its  history. 
In  the  days  when  our  ancestors  delighted  in  badger  and 
bull  baiting  a  dog  was  formed  adapted  in  every'  way  to 
seize  and  to  pin  down  these  animals ;  and  a  study  of  the 
bulldog  will  show  that  for  this  purpose  he  could  scarcely 
be  improved  upon.  He  was  taught  to  attack  the  bull  (and 
other  animals)  at  the  head,  and  if  he  could  not  hold,  either 
from  lack  of  courage  or  lack  of  jaw  power,  etc.,  he  would 
have  little  chance  in  the  contest.  It  may  be  said  that  the 
whole  dog  exists  for  his  jaws ;  hence  that  enormous  head 
and  front  generally  as  compared  with  the  parts  behind  the 
ribs ;  hence  that  indomitable  courage,  that  tenacity,  in  fact, 
which  knows  no  yielding,  for,  as  Stonehenge  well  says,  the 
bulldog  is  not  only  "  the  most  courageous  dog,  but  the 
most  courageous  animal  in  the  world."  This  breed  may 
be  considered  the  very  opposite  in  all  particulars  of  the 
greyhound,  and  taking  these  as  the  extremes,  we  can  learn 
the  extent  to  which  man's  capacity  to  take  advantage  of 
the  variations  Nature  produces  has  been  carried.  Yiewed 
from  another  standpoint,  these  are  the  results  of  "  artificial 
selection  "  in  the  most  pronounced  way  (p.  344). 

A  breed  like  the  bulldog  should  not  be  expected  to 
possess  high  intelligence,  great  affection,  or  indeed  any 
long  list  of  noble  qualities ;  nor  to  be  amenable  in  a  high 
degree  to  training.  His  skull  is  immense,  but  it  is  largely 
made  up  of  bony  processes  for  the  attachment  of  muscles 
to  work  the  enormous  jaws,  and  is  not  capacious  as  a 
brain  case  ;  nor  is  the  bulldog's  brain  larger  than  that  of 
other  dogs,  as  might  at  first  be  inferred  from  his  enormous 
skull. 


82  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

However,  it  would  be  a  mistake  to  assume  that  this 
breed  is  quarrelsome,  ferocious,  or  utterly  destitute  of  any 
attachment  to  his  master.  As  in  other  breeds,  much  de- 
pends on  his  treatment. 

General  Appearance. — That  of  a  smooth-coated,  thick- 
set dog,  rather  low  in  stature,  but  broad,  powerful,  and 
compact.  Its  head  is  strikingly  massive,  and  large  in  pro- 
portion to  the  dog's  size ;  its  face  is  extremely  short ;  its 
muzzle  very  broad,  blunt,  and  inclined  upward ;  its  body 
short  and  well-knit;  the  limbs  stout  and  muscular;  its 
hind  quarters  very  high  and  strong,  but  lightly  made  in 
comparison  with  its  heavily  made  fore-parts.  "  The  dog 
conveys  an  impression  of  determination,  strength,  and 
activity  similar  to  that  suggested  by  the  appearance  of  a 
thick-set  Ayrshire  or  Highland  bull "  (Standard). 

The  above  seems  to  the  author  a  very  good  description 
of  the  dog,  except  that  the  last  comparison  scarcely  meets 
the  case.  We  shall  not  go  into  further  details  except  on 
a  few  points,  leaving  the  reader  to  observe  them  in  the 
cuts  supplied. 

Tail  (stern). — Set  on  low,  is  round,  smooth,  thick  at 
root,  tapering,  low  carried.  Is  apt  to  be  deformed  (screw- 
tail). 

Size. — Most  desirable  size  about  fifty  pounds. 

The  ear  preferred  is  the  "  rose-ear,"  as  opposed  to  the 
"  button-ear."  In  the  former  the  organ  folds  back  so  as 
to  expose  the  inside. 

The  angles  of  the  lips  or  flews  are  called  the  "  chop  "  ; 
and  the  back  and  loin,  from  rising  into  an  arch,  is  termed 
"  roach-back  "  or  "  wheel-back." 

Coat. — Fine,  close,  short,  smooth  (not  wiry). 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  83 

Colors. — Whole-colors  and  smuts  (i.  e.,  whole-color  with 
black  mask  or  muzzle).  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  bull- 
dog is  the  only  breed  in  which  the  undershot  jaw  is  called 
for ;  this,  in  conjunction  with  the  turned-up  muzzle,  per- 
mits of  great  holding  power,  and  allows  the  animal  to 
breathe  at  the  same  time  that  his  jaws  are  buried  in  the 
flesh  of  the  creature  attacked.  "  Ugly  "  the  bulldog  may 
be  in  one  sense,  but  he  is,  or  was,  an  example  of  beautiful 
adaptation. 

The  Mastiff. — There  have  been  other  breeds  named 
mastiffs,  but  the  mastiff  is  essentially  an  English  dog, 
dating  back  considerably  more  than  half  a  century. 
Physically  he  is  one  of  the  largest  and  certainly  the 
strongest  and  most  muscular  dog  known,  unless  it  be  cer- 
tain specimens  of  the  great  Dane  (p.  352). 

In  the  words  of  the  standard  of  the  Old  English  Mas- 
tiff Club :  In  general  character  he  has  a  "  large,  massive, 
powerful,  symmetrical,  and  well-knit  frame.  A  combina- 
tion of  grandeur  and  good  nature,  courage  and  docility." 

The  mastiff  is  the  watch-dog.  In  no  other  breed  is 
watching  his  master's  property  a  pure  instinct  to  the 
same  extent,  and  this  is  the  highest  test  of  the  strength 
of  any  quality. 

The  mastiff  at  sight  is  not  attractive  in  appearance  to 
all.  He  is  not  the  embodiment  of  grace  and  activity ;  but 
if  ever  there  was  a  good  reliable  dog,  honest  through  and 
through,  that  dog  is  the  mastiff.  He  makes  an  admirable 
companion  for  all,  is  perfectly  gentle,  and  may  be  trusted 
with  women  and  children,  to  whom  he  will  prove  a  faith- 
ful protector.  Of  course  there  are  occasional  exceptions, 
as  with  all  breeds.  As  a  watch-dog  he  has  the  great 


84-  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

merit  of  arresting  and  retaining  the  intruder  without,  as  a 
rule,  seriously  injuring  him. 

His  voice  is  extremely  low-pitched,  and,  though  power- 
ful, is  not  irritating. 

General  Appearance  of  Head. — "  In  general  outline 
giving  a  square  appearance  when  viewed  from  any  point. 
Breadth  greatly  to  be  desired,  and  should  be  in  ratio  to 
length  of  the  whole  head  and  face  as  two  to  three." 

General  Description  of  Body. — Massive,  broad,  deep, 
long,  powerfully  built,  or  legs  wide  apart  and  squarely  set. 
Muscles  sharply  defined.  Size  a  great  desideratum  if  com- 
bined with  quality.  Height  and  substance  both  important 
if  combined  in  due  proportion. 

Since  40  per  cent,  of  the  total  value  is  assigned  to 
head,  it  may  be  well  to  describe  it  in  detail. 

Skull. — Broad  between  ears,  forehead  flat,  wrinkled 
when  attention  excited,  brows  slightly  raised,  muscles  of 
temples  and  cheeks  (temporal  and  masseter)  well  developed. 
Arch  across  skull  a  rounded,  flattened  curve ;  a  depression 
up  center  of  forehead  from  median  line  between  eyes  to 
half  way  up  sagittal  suture. 

Face  or  Muzzle. — Short,  broad  under  eyes,  and  nearly 
parallel  in  width  to  end  of  nose,  which  is  square-cut  at 
end  and  of  great  depth ;  under-jaw  broad  to  end ;  canine 
teeth  powerful,  sound,  and  wide  apart ;  incisors  level  (if 
the  lower  jaw  projects  beyond  the  upper,  teeth  not  visible 
when  mouth  closed). 

Length  of  muzzle  to  whole  head  and  face  as  one  to 
three.  Circumference  of  muzzle  (measured  midway  be- 
tween eyes  and  tip  of  nose)  to  that  of  head  (measured  be- 
fore ears)  as  three  to  five. 


CLASSIFICATION   OF  DOGS.  85 

The  author  believes  it  would  greatly  advance  standard- 
making  if  comparative  measurements  like  the  above  were 
generally  given.  Exact  knowledge  dissipates  many  preju- 
dices, and  prevents  misunderstandings. 

Ears. — Small,  thin,  wide  apart,  set  on  at  highest  points 
of  skull,  lying  flat  and  close  to  cheeks  in  repose. 

Eyes. — Small,  wide  apart,  divided  by  at  least  the  space 
equal  to  two  eyes  ;  hazel-brown,  the  darker  the  better,  and 
showing  no  haw. 

Nose. — Broad,  flat  in  profile,  nostrils  wide. 

Lips. — Diverging  at  obtuse  angles  with  septum,  and 
slightly  pendulous,  so  as  to  show  a  square  profile. 

Such  a  head  is  the  very  ideal  of  strength,  massiveness, 
and  grandeur,  and  any  one  who  has  felt  the  bump  of  a 
mastiff's  head  as  he  throws  it  about  in  play  can  under- 
stand how  bull-like  in  force  his  attack  must  be  as  he  springs 
against  an  intruder. 

Such  a  head  implies  a  neck  and  chest  in  proportion, 
while  these  again  should  be  balanced  with  good  hind 
parts,  or  an  undesirable  weakness  will  exist  and  be  appa- 
rent to  the  eye.  The  shoulders,  chest,  etc.,  are  not  those 
of  the  hunting-dog,  but  of  a  wholly  different  type  for 
obvious  reasons. 

The  legs  and  feet  should  be  of  a  size  to  suggest 
strength  and  due  proportion. 

Tail. — Set  on  high,  reaching  to  hocks  or  a  little  lower, 
wide  at  root  and  tapering  to  end,  hanging  straight  in  re- 
pose, but  forming  a  curve  with  end  upward  (but  not  over 
back)  under  excitement. 

Goat. — Short  and  close-lying. 

Color. — Apricot,  or  silver  fawn,  or  dark  fawn  brindle. 


86  THE   DOG   IN   HEALTH. 

In  any  case,  muzzle,  ears,  and  nose  black,  with  same  color 
round  orbits  and  extending  up  between  them. 

The  St.  Bernard. — Of  a  dignified,  sweet,  and  noble 
expression  of  countenance,  of  majestic  size,  and  beauti- 
ful coat,  color,  and  markings,  with  unbounded  good  na- 
ture, courage,  and  sagacity,  it  is  not  surprising  that  this 
breed  is  by  far  the  most  favored  of  the  large  dogs  of 
the  day,  though  it  is  possible  that  some  reaction  may 
follow  his  present  amazing  popularity  for  reasons  to  be 
given  later  (p.  368). 

Great  importance  is  attached  to  size,  to  head,  and  to 
markings,  even  to  the  detriment  of  the  general  soundness 
of  make-up  of  the  breed,  we  fear ;  though,  so  far  as  ex- 
pression and  character  go,  it  is  well  to  lay  great  stress  on 
them,  for  we  must  have  the  dog  as  well  as  the  animal 
form,  which  is  somewhat  apt  to  be  overlooked  by  those 
breeding  show-dogs.  Of  what  use  is  a  mere  mountain 
of  flesh  without  true  character — i.  e.,  without  the  proper 
disposition  and  intelligence  ?  These  the  judge  can  often 
only  ascertain  by  the  expression  and  bearing  of  the  dog, 
and  they  should  count  high  in  the  estimate  of  the  animal 
as  a  whole. 

Head. — Like  the  whole  body,  very  powerful  and  im- 
posing. The  massive  skull  is  wide,  slightly  arched,  and 
sloping  at  the  sides  with  a  gentle  curve  into  the  very  well- 
developed  cheek  bones.  Occiput  slightly  developed  ;  su- 
pra-orbital ridge  (brows)  strongly  pronounced,  forming 
nearly  a  right  angle  with  the  horizontal  axis  of  the  head. 
Between  the  two  supra-orbital  arches  and  starting  at  root 
of  muzzle  runs  a  furrow  over  whole  skull,  producing  a 
decided  stop,  which  extends  upward,  getting  more  and 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  87 

more  shallow  toward  the  base  of  occiput.  Skin  on  fore- 
head forms  deep  wrinkles,  more  or  less  distinct,  and  con- 
verging from  top  of  brows  toward  furrow  over  forehead. 

Slope  from  skull  to  muzzle  sudden  and  rather  steep. 

Muzzle. — Short,  not  "  snipy,"  and  depth  at  root  (stop) 
must  be  greater  than  length  ;  bridge  of  muzzle  not  arched, 
and  over  its  surface  runs  a  rather  wide,  well-marked,  shal- 
low furrow.  Flews  of  the  upper  jaw  strongly  developed, 
not  cut  at  right  angles,  but  turning  with  a  graceful  curve 
into  the  lower  edge,  and  are  slightly  overhanging.  Flews 
of  lower  jaw  not  pendant.  Teeth  rather  weak  in  propor- 
tion to  size  of  head.  Black  roof  to  mouth  desirable. 

Nose. — Yery  broad. 

Ears. — Of  medium  size,  set  on  high,  with  well-devel- 
oped "  burr  "  ;  standing  out  slightly  at  base  and  dropping 
with  a  sharp  bend  to  the  side,  lying  closely  to  head  with- 
out fold. 

Eyes. — Placed  more  to  front  than  to  sides,  of  moderate 
size,  brown  or  nut-brown,  set  moderately  deep,  with  a 
sagacious  and  good-natured  expression. 

Shoulders. — Rather  more  sloping  than  in  the  mastiff. 

Legs.  — Massive. 

Feet. — Broad  ;  single  or  double  dew-claws,  set  on  low, 
so  as  to  broaden  foot  and  prevent  breaking  through  snow. 

Tail. — Starting  broad  and  powerful  directly  from 
rump,  is  long,  heavy,  ending  in  a  blunt  tip ;  carried  down 
in  repose,  but  turning  gently  upward  on  the  lower  third  ; 
in  action  higher,  but  not  over  back  or  curled. 

Coat. — Two  breeds  of  St.  Bernards  are  recognized, 
differing  only  in  coat,  although  many  specimens  interme- 
diate in  this  feature  are  to  be  found. 


88  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

In  the  smootli  tlie  coat  is  very  dense,  broken-haired 
(Stoclc-Haarig\  flat,  tough  without  feeling  rough  to  the 
touch ;  thighs  slightly  bushy.  Tail  at  root  covered  with 
longer  and  denser  hair,  gradually  getting  shorter  toward 
tip.  Tail  appears  bushy,  though  not  provided  with  a 


In  the  rough-coated  dog  the  coat  is  long,  flat,  to  slight- 
ly wavy ;  never  to  curl,  be  rolled,  or  shaggy. 

Tail  bushy ;  hair  not  to  be  parted  or  feathered.  Face 
and  ears  covered  with  soft,  short  hair,  long  and  silky ; 
hair  allowable  at  base  of  ears ;  fore-legs  slightly  feathered; 
thighs  very  bushy. 

Color  and  Markings. — Orange  and  orange-tawny  are 
now  preferred,  with  white  markings  and  dark  shadings. 
Whole-colored  dogs  are  at  a  disadvantage.  The  follow- 
ing white  markings  are  absolutely  necessary :  White  chest, 
feet,  tip  of  tail,  muzzle  (nose-band),  and  collar  ;  white  spot 
on  nape,  and  a  blaze  are  very  desirable. 

Dark  shadings  on  face  and  ears  are  much  esteemed. 

Since  the  markings  have  much  to  do  with  the  general 
expression  and  character  of  the  dog  as  it  appears  to  the 
eye,  it  is  fitting  that  they  should  rank  high  ;  but  it  is 
manifestly  easy  to  overestimate  color  in  any  dog  kept  for 
a  useful  purpose.  In  the  case  of  a  toy  dog  the  subject 
assumes  a  wholly  different  aspect. 

All  the  large  breeds  of  dogs  are  liable  to  similar  de- 
fects— viz.,  disproportion  of  parts  and  weakness  in  back, 
and  especially  in  parts  behind  the  ribs.  First-class  legs 
and  feet,  back,  loin,  and  quarters,  with  correct  and  easy 
movement,  are  rather  the  exception  than  the  rule  in  the 
show  St,  Bernards  of  the  day.  Grand  heads  and  great 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  89 

size  and  weight  have  been  attained.  The  author  attrib- 
utes the  defects,  which  seem  to  be  more  pronounced  in  St. 
Bernards  now  than  in  other  breeds,  to  the  following 
causes  :  Aiming  to  get  vast  size  too  speedily  and  by  forced 
feeding,  causing  a  too  rapid  and  consequently  imperfect 
growth ;  the  overuse  of  certain  popular  dogs  in  the  stud, 
enfeebling  their  constitutions  and,  of  necessity,  that  of 
their  offspring;  judges  favoring  dogs  that  are  giants  in 
size,  though  with  the  above  defects,  so  that  these  dogs  get 
a  factitious  value  in  the  stud  and  propagate  their  defects ; 
insufficient  exercise  to  develop  bone,  muscle,  and  stamina ; 
show-dogs  carrying  too  little  muscle  and  too  much  fat 
(lumber),  which  is  greatly  against  health  and  high  vitality  ; 
too  much  of  the  unnatural  surroundings  of  show  life ; 
the  inadequate  feeding  of  many  rapidly-growing  puppies, 
causing  rickets,  etc. 

In  the  interests  of  this  noble  breed  these  things  should 
be  pondered. 

Toy  Dogs. — Several  causes  tend  to  render  toy  dogs 
somewhat  delicate.  The  small  size  demanded  has  led  to 
a  constant  selection  of  smaller  and  smaller  specimens, 
which,  being  naturally  weaker  and  lacking  in  stamina, 
have  rendered  the  whole  class  difficult  to  rear  and  keep 
in  health.  Being  so  much  confined  to  the  house,  getting 
but  little  exercise,  and  tempted  with  all  sorts  of  tidbits, 
indigestion  and  constipation,  with  the  accompanying  foul 
breath,  follow.  But,  by  judicious  breeding  from  dogs 
small  enough,  yet  healthy,  and  by  due  care  in  rearing,  etc., 
these  difficulties  may  be  overcome. 

Toy  dogs  are  usually  fairly  intelligent,  from  their  op- 
portunities of  mingling  with  mankind,  but  are  apt,  like 


90  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

spoiled  children,  to  be  somewhat  wayward  and  trouble- 
some, and  so  ready  to  bark  on  the  entrance  of  strangers 
that  they  may  be  considered  in  some  sense  watch-dogs. 

They  are  in  most  instances  kept  more,  however,  for 
their  good  looks  than  any  other  qualities  they  may  pos- 
sess; hence,  in  the  standards  of  these  breeds,  more  im- 
portance is  attached  to  superficial  characters  than  in  the 
case  of  utility  dogs. 

The  principal  toy  breeds  of  Britain  and  America  are 
the  pug,  the  toy  spaniels,  the  Italian  greyhound,  toy  ter- 
riers (already  described),  and  the  Mexican  hairless  dog, 
which  is  comparatively  rare. 

The  Pug. — A  dog  of  fair  intelligence,  moderately  active, 
with  a  very  independent  and  consequential  bearing  (p.  376). 

In  general  form  and  appearance  (tail  excepted)  very 
like  a  diminutive  mastiff,  but  entirely  opposite  in  bearing 
and  disposition.  He  is  essentially  a  squarely  built,  cobby 
dog.  Considering  that  head  parts  count  thirty-five  per 
cent.,  and  symmetry  and  general  carriage  fifteen  per  cent., 
or  these  together  fifty  per  cent.,  we  get  a  good  idea  of  the 
way  toy  dogs  are  rated. 

Head. — Skull  large,  massive,  round,  with  large  and 
deep  wrinkles.  Muzzle  short,  blunt,  square,  but  not  up- 
turned as  in  the  toy  spaniel.  Eyes  very  large,  dark,  bold, 
prominent,  globular,  bright,  soft,  and  solicitous  in  expres- 
sion. Ears  thin,  soft  (velvety),  small,  either  "  rose "  or 
"  button,"  the  latter  preferred. 

Body,  legs,  and  feet  suitable  to  a  cobby,  strongly  made 
dog. 

Tall  curled  as  tightly  as  possible  over  the  hip.  The 
double  curl  is  perfection. 


CLASSIFICATION  OF  DOGS.  91 

Coat  fine,  smooth,  short,  soft,  glossy,  neither  hard  nor 
woolly. 

Color,  silver  or  apricot  fawn,  very  decided  and  pure. 

Markings.  —  All  to  be  clearly  defined.  Muzzle  or 
mask,  ears,  moles  on  cheeks,  thumb-mark  or  diamond  on 
forehead,  back-trace  (dark  line  from  occiput  to  tail)  to  be 
as  black  as  possible,  and  especially  the  mask. 

Size. — A  very  compact  dog  of  thirteen  to  seventeen 
pounds.  A  leggy,  lanky  pug  is  not  to  be  tolerated,  as 
such  an  one  is  wholly  false  to  the  type. 

Toy  Spaniels. — These  are  cobby,  long-haired,  small  pets, 
of  an  affectionate  and  docile  disposition  (p.  384). 

Symmetry,  condition,  and  size  count  twenty  per  cent, 
and  head  parts  about  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  total. 

The  different  varieties  are  founded  on  color  distinctions. 

Head. — Skull  well  domed,  almost  semi-globular,  pro- 
jecting over  eyes ;  stop  between  eyes  very  deep ;  'muzzle 
very  short,  with  nose  turned  up  between  eyes ;  lower  jaw 
wide  between  its  rami  or  divisions,  and  fitted  well  to 
the  upper,  with  lips  concealing  teeth;  eyes  wide  apart, 
with  eyelids  square  to  line  of  face,  large,  lustrous,  very 
dark,  with  pupils  widely  dilated ;  ears  very  long,  measur- 
ing twenty  to  twenty-two  inches  from  tip  to  tip,  set  low, 
heavily  feathered.  The  ears  are  longer  in  the  King 
Charles  than  in  the  Blenheim. 

Tail. — Usually  docked  to  length  of  three  to  four  inches. 
Not  to  be  carried  above  level  of  back. 

Coat. — Long,  silky,  soft,  wavy  but  not  curly.  In  the 
Blenheim  a  profuse  mane  extends  well  down  front  of 
chest.  Legs  and  feet  well  feathered,  also  tail,  so  that  a 
"  flag  "  of  a  square  shape  results. 


92  TEE  DOG  IX  HEALTH. 

Color  Varieties. — King  Charles :  Glossy  black  and  deep 
tan — i.  e.,  with  tan  spots  over  eyes  and  on  cheeks,  legs, 
etc. 

Blenheim:  A  ground  of  pearly  white,  with  large  patches 
of  rich  chestnut  or  ruby-red  evenly  distributed ;  ears  and 
cheeks  red,  with  a  blaze  of  white  extending  from  nose  up 
to  forehead  and  ending  between  the  ears  in  a  crescentic 
curve.  In  the  center  of  this  blaze  there  should  be  a  clear 
"  spot "  of  red  of  the  size  of  a  sixpence. 

Tricolor  or  Charles  I.  spaniel :  Like  the  last,  but  with 
black  instead  of  red ;  ears  and  area  beneath  tail  should 
be  lined  with  tan.  This  breed  has  no  "  spot." 

Ruby :  A  uniform  red ;  nose  black. 

It  is  difficult  to  breed  King  Charles  spaniels  free  from 
white. 

$£20.— Cobby  little  dogs  of  about  ten  pounds  weight. 

The  Italian  Greyhound. — An  active,  lithe,  graceful  little 
creature,  rather  delicate  and  very  sensitive  to  cold  (p.  388). 

The  more  nearly  he  approaches  the  greyhound  in 
shape  the  better ;  but  he  is  not  likely  to  have  so  good  a 
head.  The  skull  is  apt  to  be  relatively  wider,  the  muzzle 
shorter,  and  the  ears  larger  and  not  so  well  carried.  The 
eyes  are  much  larger  and  very  soft  in  expression,  but 
"  weeping  "  is  not  tolerated  as  in  the  toy  spaniel. 

Coat  is  short,  soft,  and  silky. 

Color  (value  fifteen  per  cent.),  fawns  much  preferred. 

Symmetry  (value  fifteen  per  cent.)  is  naturally  high  in 
a  toy. 

Size  (value  fifteen  per  cent.),  dogs  not  to  exceed  seven 
to  seven  and  a  half  pounds,  bitches  five  to  six  pounds. 

The   Schipperke. — Imported    from    the    Continent   of 


CLASSIFICATION  OP  BOGS.  93 

Europe,  especially  Belgium,  tliis  breed  has  lately  come  into 
some  favor  both  in  Britain  and  America.  It  is  remarkable 
in  being  tailless.  This  dog  is  a  very  active,  small,  long- 
haired, black  animal,  suggesting  the  fox  in  head  and  gen- 
eral appearance,  though  much  higher  on  the  leg  (p.  392). 

The  Whippet. — A  small  cross-bred  dog  of  the  grey- 
hound type,  much  used  in  competitive  racing  over  short 
courses,  for  the  enjoyment  of  the  onlookers. 

The  Mexican  Hairless  Dog.— This  small  breed  is  almost 
destitute  of  hair.  The  skin  is  somewhat  copper-colored, 
spotted  more  or  less  with  black. 

In  concluding  this  account  of  the  breeds  of  dogs  recog- 
nized in  British  and  American  shows,  and  almost  the  only 
ones  known  as  companions  to  those  speaking  the  English 
language,  we  remind  the  reader  of  the  principles  which  we 
have  already  stated  as  underlying  breeding  and  the  forma- 
tion of  standards — viz.,  that  the  form  and  physical  and 
psychical  characters  of  each  breed  should  correspond  with 
a  type  or  ideal  founded  on  the  purpose  for  which  the 
breed  is  used  or  supposed  to  be  used.  Unless  this  is  con- 
stantly kept  in  view  there  is  no  limit  to  which  the  vaga- 
ries of  mankind  or  the  caprices  of  fashion  may  cause  a 
departure  from  Nature,  and  therefore  from  sound  sense. 
A  second  principle  is  the  one  which  we  have  not  yet 
insisted  upon,  because  less  important  and  not  so  likely  to 
be  neglected,  to  the  effect  that  every  breed  should  be 
sufficiently  distinct  in  type  to  merit  an  independent  ex- 
istence. Unless  something  is  to  be  gained  of  downright 
worth,  it  is  only  a  useless  expenditure  of  energy,  that 
might  be  employed  in  perfecting  existing  valuable  breeds, 
to  set  about  the  formation  of  new  ones.  A  merely  popu- 


94:  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

lar  craze,  which  must  be  in  the  nature  of  the  case  fleeting, 
or  pecuniary  gain  to  a  few,  can  not  be  sufficient  warrant 
for  disregarding,  as  this  implies,  the  importance  of  the 
work  of  generations  of  breeders  that  have  passed  away  by 
thus  attempting  to  replace  their  well-earned  results  in 
the  formation  of  noble  breeds  of  dogs  by  new  varieties 
without  new  merits. 

THE  MANAGEMENT  OP  DOGS  IN  HEALTH. 

Our  object  should  be  to  develop  dogs  to  the  utmost, 
both  physically  and  psychically.  Mongrel  specimens  are 
so  much  more  easily  kept  in  health  that  the  directions 
given  in  this  part  of  the  work  will  be  supposed  to  refer  to 
the  most  highly-bred  animals,  unless  otherwise  stated. 

Management  resolves  itself  chiefly  into  housing,  feed- 
ing, exercise,  grooming,  etc. ;  amusement,  training,  and 
occupation ;  also  breeding  in  all  its  aspects. 

On  every  one  of  these  topics  the  most  diverse — indeed, 
totally  opposite — opinions  have  been  expressed,  which  is 
probably  to  be  explained  by  the  limited  experience  of  the 
writers  and  their  inability  to  perceive  that  the  application 
of  principles  must  vary  with  circumstances. 

So  that  every  reader  may  be  able  to  judge  for  himself, 
the  writer  proposes  to  lay  stress  on  principles  rather  than 
their  application,  since  only  sound  judgment  will  ever  in- 
sure good  practice,  and  the  formation  of  that  judgment,  in 
so  far  as  it  can  be  formed  by  the  perusal  of  any  work,  is  best 
secured  by  clearly  setting  forth  those  fundamental  princi- 
ples of  Nature  which  must  underlie  all  applications.  When 
these  are  distinctly  grasped,  "  rule  of  thumb  "  will  be  im- 
possible, and  all  experience  will  prove  really  useful,  as  it 


THE  MANAGEMENT  OP  DOGS  IN  HEALTH.    95 

must  tend  to  establish  principles ;  and  then  they  become 
like  the  compass  in  actual  practice.  The  possession  of  a 
compass  will  not  make  a  man  a  mariner  or  explorer.  On 
the  other  hand,  he  can  not  become  either  in  any  worthy 
sense  without  it ;  so  is  it  with  underlying  principles. 

In  the  understanding  of  the  dog  no  advice  can  be  better 
than  that  of  the  old  Greek,  "  Know  thyself."  Of  all  the 
lower  animals  none  is  so  like  man  as  the  dog,  unless  per- 
haps the  monkey ;  but  of  the  latter  this  is  true  only  in  a 
certain  sense.  The  monkey  does  not  respond  sympathetic- 
ally to  our  moods  and  our  environment  like  the  dog. 

This  idea  will  be  the  key  to  this  book  throughout,  and 
by  making  it  so  the  author  hopes  to  bring  the  whole  sub- 
ject within  easier  and  more  effective  grasp  of  both  the 
professional  and  non-professional  reader. 

If  dogs  were  generally  viewed  as  we  do  children  of 
different  ages,  their  whole  nature  and  management  would 
be  better  comprehended ;  at  least  such  is  the  view  to 
which  the  best  study  we  have  been  able  to  give  to  animals 
generally,  and  the  dog  in  particular,  for  a  long  period  has 
led  us. 

In  the  entire  management  of  the  dog  two  things  must 
ever  be  kept  in  mind — his  origin  from  wild  ancestors  on 
the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other  the  great  modification 
he  has  undergone  during  ages  of  association  with  man,  in 
consequence  of  which  he  has  been  assimilated  to  mankind 
in  numberless  respects,  both  physically  and  otherwise. 

The  whole  problem  is  greatly  simplified  if  only  one 
breed  of  dogs  is  kept,  for  so  great  are  the  differences  in  the 
breeds  as  to  disposition  and  bodily  habitudes  that  the 
treatment  that  is  adapted  to  ono  does  not  suit  another. 


96  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

The  views  of  those  who  have  kept  only  one  breed  must 
therefore  often  seem  unsatisfactory  to  those  who  have  al- 
ways been  associated  with  one  of  opposite  tendencies. 
In  the  end,  whatever  the  advantages  of  specialization,  and 
they  are  very  great,  careful  comparison  and  correlation 
can  alone  lead  to  deductions  at  once  safe  and  broad. 

The  writer  will  endeavor,  so  far  as  possible,  to  avoid 
narrow  views  that  apply  to  but  a  measurable  extent,  and 
while  the  limitations  of  space  will  prevent  exhaustive  dis- 
cussion, the  foundations  for  conclusions  and  practice  will 
be  laid  as  broad  as  possible. 

The  Housing  of  Dogs. — If  even  but  one  dog  be  kept,  and 
he  a  house-dog,  experience  has  taught  that  he  will  prove 
more  satisfactory  if  there  be  some  other  place  than  the 
house  to  which  he  can  retire  for  a  time  daily.  The  dog 
appreciates  his  privileges  more  and  deports  himself  better. 
In  the  case  of  several  dogs,  it  is  needless  to  say  that  a  spe- 
cial home  or  kennel  is  necessary. 

The  best  conception  of  a  kennel  is  that  it  is  a  canine 
home,  and  that  all  its  arrangements  must  be  shaped  in 
harmony  with  this  view.  It  should  therefore  be  not  only 
a  comfortable  and  healthy,  but  a  happy,  attractive  place. 

The  chief  considerations  for  health  are,  as  in  a  human 
habitation,  light,  ventilation,  temperature,  drainage,  cleanli- 
ness, absence  of  dampness,  etc.  In  the  absence  of  any 
one  of  these,  dogs  can  not  be  healthy  any  more  than  human 
beings ;  in  fact,  owing  to  their  being  usually  less  separated, 
there  is  the  more  need  to  attend  to  them  ;  for  it  would  be 
a  mistake  to  assume  that  a  pure-bred  dog  can  be  kept  in 
the  best  condition  under  circumstances  very  much  less 
favorable  than  those  suited  to  a  rugged  man. 


THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  BOGS  IN  HEALTH.    9? 

In  addition  to  the  above,  if  the  arrangements  of  the 
kennel  permit  of  some  regard  to  the  beautiful,  it  will  not 
be  withou';  its  effect  on  the  inmates,  though  this  is  of 
course  a  subordinate  matter ;  but  of  all  creatures  the  dog 
is  most  influenced  for  good  or  ill  by  his  surroundings. 

Dampness  is  perhaps  of  all  evils,  after  extreme  crowd- 
ing, the  greatest  in  connection  with  a  kennel.  With  a 
damp  kennel  it  is  impossible  to  keep  dogs  in  health,  and 
this  condition  will  sooner  or  later  ruin  the  best  collection 
of  dogs  that  can  be  got  together,  no  matter  what  their 
stamina. 

A  good  foundation,  then,  which  will  prevent  the  damp- 
ness of  the  soil  from  effecting  the  kennel,  is  desirable  in 
any  case,  and  absolutely  essential  if  the  soil  is  clayey  or 
adapted  in  any  way  to  retain  moisture.  If  the  soil  is  light, 
it  will  be  well,  if  no  foundation  is  used,  to  make  a  bottom 
of  loam  and  ashes,  the  latter  being  in  large  proportion. 

The  slope  of  the  ground  is  of  some  importance. 

Dampness  may  arise  from  hoar-frost  on  the  walls  in 
very  cold  weather  if  no  artificial  heat  be  used;  and  though 
this  is  not  so  injurious  as  that  which  arises  from  a  bad 
floor,  it  is  nevertheless  a  serious  objection,  especially  when 
the  severity  of  the  weather  mitigates.  Of  course  brick  and 
stone  walls  are  more  liable  to  favor  such  dampness  than 
wooden  ones. 

The  outlook  of  every  kennel  should  be  toward  the 
south,  so  that  it  shall  at  no  season  of  the  year  be  devoid  of 
the  heat  and  light  of  the  sun,  and  if  direct  so  much  the 
better  in  the  winter.  Exaggerated  stress  can  not  be  laid 
oa  the  value  of  sunlight,  and  it  is  scarcely  too  much  to 
say  that  animals  can  not  be  kept  in  health  without  it. 


98  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

A  dark  kennel  is  a  wretched  dog  prison,  unfavorable 
alike  to  health  and  canine  happiness. 

There  are  special  reasons  why  kennels  should  be  well 
ventilated.  However  cleanly  dogs  may  be,  and  however 
well  their  tendencies  to  be  so  may  be  encouraged,  it  will 
happen  that  excretions  will  lie  on  the  kennel  floor  at  times. 
Apart  from  the  vitiation  of  the  atmosphere,  there  is  that 
more  fatal  poisoning  that  arises  through  emanations  from 
the  lungs  and  skin  of  the  animals.  At  the  same  time  ven- 
tilation must  be  accomplished  without  draught,  except  in 
the  hottest  days  of  summer,  when  a  slight  breeze  is  as  re- 
freshing as  to  ourselves.  But  draughts,  even  in  summer,  at 
night,  are  a  fruitful  source  of  diarrhoeas,  other  disturbances 
of  digestion,  etc.  Ventilating-shafts  through  the  roof, 
that  can  be  closed  to  a  greater  or  less  extent  as  occasion 
demands,  prove  successful.  In  addition,  the  kennels  may 
be  well  aired  several  times  a  day,  when  the  animals  are  out, 
by  the  doors  and  windows. 

If  the  space  can  be  afforded,  the  plan  that  has  worked 
so  well  in  some  educational  institutions,  and,  as  we  happen 
to  know,  in  some  very  large  kennels,  should  be  provided 
for,  which  is  having  certain  rooms  or  compartments  used 
only  half  the  time — e.  g.,  room  A  is  used  to-day  as  the  habi- 
tation of  the  dogs  while  room  B  is  being  cleaned  thor- 
oughly and  abundantly  aired,  while  on  the  succeeding 
day  room  B  will  be  occupied.  This  is  far  in  advance  of  all 
other  methods  when  it  can  be  adopted. 

If  the  climate  will  permit,  it  is  to  our  mind  clear  that 
hardier  dogs  will  be  reared  if  no  artificial  heat  be  used  in 
the  kennel.  It  is  preferable  even  to  blanket  the  dogs, 
though  that  is  not  as  easily  carried  out  as  with  horses ; 


THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  DOGS  IN  HEALTH.     99 

but  with  tliick  walls,  filled  between  the  boards  with  saw- 
dust and  covered  with  tar-paper  within,  with  boxes  large 
enough  to  hold  two  dogs  in  winter,  and  abundance  of 
good  straw,  except  in  the  coldest  climates  the  kennel  need 
not  be  heated. 

The  danger  from  artificial  heat  arises  in  the  changes 
in  the  temperature  likely  to  result,  for  such  irregularities 
will  utterly  derange  the  health  of  the  strongest  dogs.  If 
n  constant  temperature  of  about  55°  to  60°  Fahr.  could 
be  maintained  in  severe  weather,  hoar-frost  would  be  kept 
from  the  walls  and  the  animals  would  no  doubt  be  more 
comfortable.  The  expense  of  the  planking  would  prob- 
ably be  saved  in  food,  as  it  is  well  known  that  all  animals 
consume  food  in  proportion  to  the  temperature  of  the  sur- 
rounding air. 

But  sudden  changes — now  a  fire  and  again  none — are 
utterly  demoralizing. 

After  these  vital  considerations  of  light,  heat,  ventila- 
tion, dryness,  etc.,  come  many  minor  ones  of  great  impor- 
tance to  the  kennel  manager,  and  of  no  less  moment  in  the 
development  of  the  dogs.  "We  have  stated  our  view  that  a 
kennel  should  be  made  a  healthful,  happy  home,  and  not  a 
mere  lodging  place.  To  insure  this,  as  with  a  family  of 
human  beings,  the  individual  dog  or  the  individuality  of 
the  members  must  be  considered  as  well  as  the  community. 
Dogs  of  different  breeds  do  not  usually  get  on  very  well 
together,  and  dogs  differ  so  in  disposition,  even  when  of 
the  same  breed,  that  the  kennel  arrangements  must,  to  be 
successful,  meet  these  facts. 

Several  smaller  compartments  are  better  than  a  few 
larger  ones.  Bitches  and  dogs  must  be  kept  apart  absolute- 


100  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

ly  at  certain  periods ;  old  dogs  and  puppies  rarely  agree, 
while  sometimes  the  very  best  mode  of  correction  of  mis- 
conduct in  a  dog,  as  in  a  child,  is  solitary  confinement  for 
a  time.  It  is  also  often  desirable  to  associate  dogs  of 
opposite  temperament  occasionally. 

Every  kennel  should  be  so  arranged  as  to  permit  of  the 
free  and  full  natural  development  of  the  individuality  of 
each  dog.  To  allow  one  dog  to  be  bullied  or  cowed  by 
another,  not  to  say  worried  or  perhaps  killed,  as  not  infre- 
quently happens  in  some  kennels,  is  culpable  negligence 
and  cruelty. 

The  more  orderly,  systematic,  and  complete  the  arrange- 
ments of  any  kennel,  the  better  both  for  the  kennel  mana- 
ger and  the  dogs.  It  will  mean  a  saving  of  energy,  the 
avoidance  of  anxiety  and  worry  to  him,  and  comfort, 
health,  and  happiness  to  the  canine  household. 

There  should  be  a  place  for  everything  and  everything 
in  its  place,  as  in  any  well-ordered  establishment. 

As  to  the  exact  buildings  and  internal  arrangements  by 
which  all  this  is  to  be  carried  out  we  have  not  the  space 
to  speak ;  and  indeed  these  must  necessarily  vary  with  the 
number  of  dogs  kept  and  the  depth  of  the  owner's  purse 
to  some  extent ;  though  a  good  kennel  need  not  be  an  ex- 
pensive one,  nor  the  latter  a  good  one. 

Cleanliness  is  important  both  in  reference  to  health 
and  the  character  of  the  dog.  Much  can  be  done  to  render 
dogs  cleanly  in  habits,  but  to  prevent  evil  results  arising 
from  urine  and  faeces  that  will  inevitably  be  deposited 
on  the  kennel  floor,  special  precautions  must  be  taken. 

The  most  essential  at  the  outset  is  a  suitable  floor ; 
the  very  best  is  one  of  concrete,  which,  though  expensive 


THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  DOGS  IN  HEALTH.    101 

at  first,  is  economical  in  the  end.  A  wooden  floor,  being 
repeatedly  wet  with  urine,  soon  gets  saturated,  foul,  and 
rotten,  favoring  the  breeding  of  fleas,  etc. 

Fresh  pine  sawdust,  not  too  fine,  spread  on  the  floor  to 
the  depth  of  two  inches,  disinfects  or  deodorizes  stools  and 
catches  much  of  the  urine,  thus  saving  the  floor  and  obviat- 
ing the  evils  that  would  otherwise  arise.  But  this  can  be 
spread  on  a  concrete  floor  also,  and  the  latter  can  be  fre- 
quently washed  over  and  will  dry  much  sooner  than  a 
wooden  floor,  especially  if  very  warm  water  be  used. 

Some  prefer  benches  or  raised  platforms  for  the  dogs  to 
lie  on.  For  large  dogs  with  long  coats,  that  do  not  readi- 
ly feel  cold,  they  serve  well  enough ;  but  in  most  instances 
a  cheap  packing  box,  never  resting  directly  on  the  floor, 
open  only  in  front  to  allow  of  ingress  and  egress,  and  well 
supplied  with  straw,  answers  a  better  purpose.  They  are 
warm,  and  allow  the  dog  the  independence  and  privacy  of 
his  own  little  room.  If  he  wishes  a  partner,  he  can  take 
one ;  if  not,  he  can  keep  the  intruder  out,  and  in  no  case 
should  one  dog  be  allowed  to  drive  another  out  of  his  bed. 
It  does  the  character  of  both  harm.  Such  movable  boxes 
can  be  readily  cleaned  and  disinfected,  or  when  hopelessly 
infested  with  vermin,  burned  and  replaced  at  slight  ex- 
pense. In  summer,  when  it  is  excessively  warm,  the  ken- 
nel inmates  often  prefer  to  lie  on  top  of  the  boxes,  or 
simply  on  the  floor. 

Feeding. — This  subject,  being  of  such  vast  importance 
and  one  in  regard  to  which  the  greatest  difference  in  the- 
ory and  practice  obtains  among  breeders,  deserves  more 
than  passing  notice,  especially  since  errors  in  feeding  are 
responsible  for  a  large  proportion  of  canine  ills. 


102  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

So  that  the  whole  subject  may  be  grasped  in  a  rational 
manner,  we  remind  the  reader  of  certain  well-established 
physiological  principles. 

All  foodstuffs  for  animals  are  divisible  into — 

I.  Organic. 

1.  Nitrogenous  :  (a)  albumins  ;  (5)  albuminoids  (as  gela- 
tin). 

2.  Non-nitrogenous :  (a)  carbohydrates  (sugars,  starches) ; 
(5)  fats. 

II.  Inorganic. 

1.  Water. 

2.  Salts. 

Every  animal  to  remain  in  health  must  have  all  of  the 
above  in  its  diet,  as  has  been  abundantly  proved  by  experi- 
ments— i.  e.,  the  food  must  be  chemically  adequate.  But, 
in  addition,  food  must  be  in  such  a  form  that  the  digestive 
juices  can  attack  it — i.  e.,  it  must  be  physically  suitable  ; 
and  finally  it  must  be  suited  to  the  peculiar  organization 
of  each  animal,  which  Nature  expresses  by  what  we  term 
liking — i.  e.,  the  food  in  question  must  be  craved.  If  a 
diet  fails  in  any  of  these  respects  it  is  not  suitable.  But 
however  good  any  article  of  diet  in  itself,  a  change  is  ab- 
solutely essential  from  time  to  time. 

"We  have  no  hesitation  in  saying  that  the  whole  art  of 
feeding  dogs  or  other  animals  consists  in  the  judicious 
application  of  these  few  principles. 

It  is  well  known  that  nearly  all  animals,  and  certainly 
all  dogs,  will  accept  milk  with  avidity.  Milk  is  a  perfect 
food  because  it  meets  all  the  above  requirements.  It  is 
what  Nature  has  provided  for  all  young  mammals. 

But  observation  shows  that  wild  mammals  do  not  all 


THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  DOGS  IN  HEALTH.    103 

choose  the  same  foodstuffs,  though  all  their  foods  meet  the 
above  conditions ;  and  according  as  they  derive  their  sup- 
plies from  the  bodies  of  other  animals,  from  the  vegetable 
kingdom  alone  or  from  both,  are  they  termed  carnivora, 
herbivora,  or  omnivora. 

It  is  found  that  while  the  digestive  apparatus  has  a 
common  resemblance  in  all,  it  varies  in  details  of  size, 
structure,  etc. 

In  the  carnivora  the  stomach  is  always  simple  and  the 
intestine  relatively  short,  especially  the  large  gut ;  in  the 
herbivora  the  stomach  is  always  in  part  a  reservoir  for  the 
storing  of  food  as  well  as  an  organ  for  its  digestion,  and  is 
often  much  divided  into  compartments,  each  with  a  differ- 
ent function,  while  the  intestine,  especially  the  large  in- 
testine, is  voluminous.  The  digestive  tract  of  the  omniv- 
ora is  somewhat  intermediate,  but  approximates  that  of 
the  carnivora  rather  than  of  the  herbivora. 

In  type  the  dog  is  unquestionably  carnivorous  in  both 
organization  and  tendencies,  as  •  is  shown  in  a  puppy's 
eagerness  for  a  bone  almost  as  soon  as  its  eyes"  are  open. 

Nevertheless,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  habit  for 
ages  has  greatly  modified  this  tendency,  and  with  the 
dog's  altered  environment  there  must  come  changed  feed- 
ing. 

Experience  proves  exactly  what  we  should  expect  from 
the  dog's  ancestral  relationships,  that  the  more  he  ap- 
proaches in  mode  of  life  the  carnivora,  with  their  ex- 
tremely active  habits,  the  more  completely  may  he  be  fed 
on  flesh — in  fact,  must  he  be  so  fed  if  he  is  to  prosper — 
e.  g.,  dogs  hunted  hard  daily  may  be  fed  better  on  a  flesh 
diet  than  on  any  other,  perhaps,  in  the  large  proportion 


104  .  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

of  cases.     On  the  other  hand,  to  feed  a  house-dog  on  flesh 
entirely  is  simply  to  invite  the  onset  of  disease. 

However,  as  we  should  suppose,  no  dietary  for  the  dog 
can  ever  be  considered  complete  from  which  meat  or  its 
equivalent  is  wholly  excluded.  Such  practice  ignores 
completely  the  origin  of  this  animal.  But  between  these 
two  extremes  lies  that  territory  in  which  there  is  the 
greatest  room  for  discretion — in  fact,  the  closest  observa- 
tion and  study,  especially  when  several  dogs  of  different 
breeds  are  kept  together. 

Even  under  identical  circumstances  all  the  dogs  of  a 
kennel  must  not  be  fed  alike  ;  and  it  is  the  failure  to  per- 
ceive these  differences  for  breeds,  and  especially  for  indi- 
viduals, that  is  the  fertile  source  of  so  much  wretchedness 
for  dogs  ;  for  certainly  more  than  one  half  of  all  cases  of 
skin  disease,  diarrhoea,  etc.,  arise  from  dietetic  errors. 

"We  find  breeders  of  experience  advocating  the  most 
opposite  kinds  of  feeding.  One  all  meat,  the  other  little 
or  none ;  one  abundance  of  milk,  another  condemning  it 
as  the  source  of  disease  ;  one  plenty  of  vegetables,  another 
opposing  them  as  unnatural ;  one  advocating  corn-meal 
as  cheap  and  wholesome,  another  declaring  it  unfit  for  the 
dog  under  any  circumstances ;  one  flesh  in  the  raw  state, 
another  only  when  it  is  cooked,  etc. 

"We  think  these  divergent  views  can  be  reconciled. 
So  long  as  any  diet  meets  the  conditions  set  forth  above,  it 
may  vary  in  many  respects  and  yet  prove  suitable  under  a 
different  environment ;  in  a  word,  it  must  ever  be  borne 
in  mind  that  the  food  must  vary  with  the  environ- 
ment. 

\ 

Now,  if  we  apply  that  principle  on  which  we  have 


THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  DOGS  IN  HEALTH.        105 

already  laid  such  stress,  the  whole  matter  will  become 
plainer  to  the  most  unscientific  or  inexperienced. 

As  are  the  ways  of  men  so  are  the  ways  of  dogs — in 
feeding  as  in  other  matters.  Our  own  diet,  when  we  fol- 
low our  instincts  freely,  is  made  to  vary  with  the  season, 
the  climate,  mode  of  life,  and  a  thousand  other  things  we 
can  not  always  define.  Exactly  so  is  it  with  dogs — alto- 
gether more  so  than  with  any  other  of  our  domestic  ani- 
mals. 

The  diet  of  the  plowman  or  lumberman  differs  widely 
from  that  of  the  clerk  or  bookkeeper ;  and  if  the  latter 
were  to  change  his  occupation,  he  would  soon  be  under 
the  necessity  of  altering  his  diet  to  a  more  nitrogenous 
one — i.  e.,  one  in  which  flesh,  etc.,  was.  more  prominent ; 
though  we  have  in  the  Highlanders  of  Scotland  a  people 
that  flourished  on  oatmeal  and  milk.  But  then  milk  and 
meat  are  similar  in  nutritive  qualities  if  not  in  effect  on 
the  activities  of  the  body. 

Whole  kennels  of  mastiffs  have  been  kept  largely  on 
horseflesh.  But  these  dogs  roamed  the  country  fields,  had 
abundance  of  exercise,  pure  air,  etc. 

Certain  vegetables  when  cooked — such  as  carrots,  cab- 
bage, etc. — furnish  little  nutriment  for  man  or  dog,  but 
they  do  under  certain  circumstances  serve  to  rectify  the 
workings  of  the  machinery  of  life.  They  are  in  a  sense 
medicines  or  correctives  rather  than  foods.  Plainly  they 
are  not  at  all  necessary  under  some  circumstances,  and 
may  be  positively  injurious  in  some  cases,  as  in  dogs  hunt- 
ing day  after  day.  But  why  does  the  dog  nibble  grass, 
etc.,  if  green  vegetables  serve  no  purpose  under  any  cir* 
cumstances  ? 


106  THE  r>OG  1N  HEALTH. 

Milk  in  large  quantities  continuously  tends  to  dilate, 
render  flaccid,  and  to  weaken  the  digestive  tract ;  yet, 
used  with  discretion,  there  can  be  no  better  food  for  man 
or  dog  than  milk. 

A  diet  of  porridge  and  milk  is  a  good  diet,  but  not 
constantly  and  without  change.  We  have  in  such  a  diet 
all  that  is  involved  in  the  principles  we  have  set  forth  as 
established.  It  has  the  merit  of  being  very  easily  digested  ; 
but  in  some  conditions  of  the  stomach,  induced  by  certain 
modes  of  life,  as  we  ourselves  know,  it  is  not  relished  or 
well-borne  by  men,  nor,  as  observation  also  teaches  us,  by 
dogs. 

The  problem  as  to  the  amount  and  form  of  a  meat 
diet  often  arises  for  practical  solution. 

As  a  rule,  cooked  meat  is  the  best  to  be  fed  in  large 
quantity.  Raw  meat,  moreover,  may  contain  parasites  or 
their  germs,  hence  it  should  be  fed  sparingly  and  be 
closely  examined.  Raw  liver  is  on  this  account  danger- 
ous, though  a  little  cooked  liver  acts  nicely  as  a  gentle 
aperient  to  the  digestive  tract.  The  habit  of  throwing 
sheep's-heads  and  ox  heads  to  dogs  is  also  open  to  the  same 
objection  (parasites).  Beef  and  mutton  are  the  best  meats 
for  dogs. 

But  it  is  difficult  to  conceive  of  a  more  suitable  and 
agreeable  meal  for  a  dog  than  such  as  may  be  prepared  by 
boiling  sheep's-heads  (or  ox-heads)  till  the  flesh  falls  off  and 
the  ligaments,  etc.,  are  reduced  to  a  gelatin.  A  rich  broth, 
which  may  be  slightly  flavored  with  salt,  and  a  large  part 
of  the  fat  skimmed  off  (in  most  instances),  results.  After 
removal  of  the  bones,  the  whole  may  be  allowed  to  set,  aft- 
er some  of  the  broth  has  been  removed,  perhaps,  and  the 


THE  MANAGEMENT  OP  DOGS  IN  HEALTH.    1Q7 

solids  minced.  This  preparation  may  be  mixed  with  por- 
ridge made  of  oatmeal,  corn-meal,  wheat-meal,  etc.,  or  stale 
bread,  broken  biscuits,  or  such  like,  which  furnish  the 
necessary  proportion  of  starchy  food.  A  small  proportion 
of  vegetables  may  be  boiled  with  the  above,  to  flavor,  etc. 

Certain  it  is  that  all  meal  preparations  should  be  boiled 
till  reduced  to  a  jelly,  for  a  dog's  stomach  is  no  more 
adapted  to  digest  raw  or  half-cooked  meals  than  a  man's. 
It  is  probably  this  ill-prepared  meal  food,  such  as  may  do 
for  fowls,  that  has  been  condemned  by  so  many  breeders, 
and  rightly ;  but  their  disapproval  is  not  wisely  extended 
to  good  porridge.  However  for  summer  use  especially, 
wheat-meal  porridge  serves  a  better  purpose  than  either 
corn-meal  or  oatmeal.  It  is  less  apt  to  cause  irritation  of 
the  digestive  tract,  and  reflex  effects  which  show  them- 
selves in  irritation  of  the  skin. 

Yery  generally  the  question  of  economy  is  an  impor- 
tant one.  In  Britain  and  on  the  Continent  of  Europe 
horseflesh  is  obtainable  at  a  low  price.  In  America  not 
so  easily,  perhaps ;  but  butchers'  offal — such  as  heads  of 
oxen  and  sheep,  the  "  pluck "  (heart,  liver),  etc. — may  be 
secured  cheaply,  and  makes  excellent  food  in  the  hands 
of  a  discreet  kennel  manager ;  but  in  no  case  should  such 
food  be  given  raw. 

Raw  flesh  in  small  quantity  occasionally  acts  like  a 
tonic  to  nearly  all  dogs,  however  kept. 

"What  of  patent  foods,  such  as  Spratts's  ?  Yery  admira- 
ble preparations,  most  convenient,  saving  much  trouble, 
but  rather  expensive,  and  not  suitable  for  continuous  use 
as  the  sole  food  any  more  than  any  uniform  diet  that  can 
be  devised.  Change  is  at  the  foundation  of  life  itself,  and 


108  THE  DOG  IN   HEALTH. 

must  be  recognized  by  all  who  would  understand  the  man- 
agement of  dogs. 

Starchy  foods  if  given  in  excess  tend  to  digestive  de- 
rangement (fermentation,  etc.)  and  favor  skin  disease. 
Meal  in  excess  is  unduly  exciting,  and  will  also  cause  in- 
flammation of  the  skin  and  other  disturbances.  Milk 
alone  and  uninterruptedly  is  too  bulky,  and  enfeebles  the 
digestive  tract. 

A  mixed  diet,  in  proper  proportion  and  properly 
cooked,  will  suit  most  of  the  conditions  under  which  the 
dog  is  kept  better  than  any  other.  Cakes  or  biscuits  made 
of  the  entire  wheat,  ground  moderately  fine,  make  good 
food,  and  may  at  times  be  fed  dry  to  advantage. 

The  question  of  quantity  is  of  very  great  importance. 
Experience  shows  that  the  tendency  is  usually  to  overfeed. 
The  result  is  digestive  troubles,  an  undue  taxing  of  all 
those  organs  that  get  rid  of  the  waste  or  poisons  of  the 
body,  with  numberless  reflex  disturbances  which  in  the 
dog,  for  reasons  to  be  explained  later,  generally  express 
themselves  on  the  skin. 

But  the  quantity  must  vary  not  only  with  the  breed 
and  size  of  the  dog,  but,  above  all,  with  his  surroundings 
and  the  amount  of  exercise  he  gets. 

A  dog  that  is  worked  to  the  fullest  extent  may  proba- 
bly nearly  always  be  left  to  be  his  own  judge  as  to  when 
he  has  had  enough  of  food.  But  under  any  other  circum- 
stances this  would  scarcely  be  a  safe  rule  for  all  dogs. 
Some  are  gluttons,  and  would  constantly  be  out  of  condi- 
tion if  fed  as  much  as  they  would  eat.  But  a  pack  of 
hounds  hunting  daily  will  scarcely  eat  too  much — even  the 
most  ravenous  dogs  being  able  to  use  up,  in  the  long-con- 


THE  MANAGEMENT  OP  DOGS  IN  HEALTH.        109 

tinned  and  violent  exercise  they  get,  the  material  (source 
of  energy)  which  they  store  up  in  their  tissues. 

Some  dogs  are  such  uncertain  and  capricious  feeders 
that  their  care  taxes  to  the  utmost  the  skill  of  the  most 
judicious.  Such  specimens  are  commonly  defective  in 
stamina,  easily  disordered,  and  unsuitable  either  as  stud 
dogs  or  brood  bitches,  as  their  progeny  are  apt  to  inherit 
these  undesirable  qualities. 

A  word  of  warning  may  be  in  place  regarding  bones. 
While  useful  as  indicated  above,  when  very  hard  they 
wear  down  the  teeth,  and  it  is  often  a  question  whether 
they  should  be  allowed  to  old  dogs  at  all.  They  clean  a 
dog's  teeth,  and  if  they  can  be  secured  of  the  right  kind  it 
is  well  not  to  withhold  them  entirely.  But  very  hard 
bones,  and  those  which  when  broken  present  sharp  edges, 
as  those  of  fowls  and  of  game  birds,  are  absolutely  unsafe, 
as  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  have  caused  death 
by  puncturing  the  digestive  tract,  especially  the  intes- 
tines. 

A  question  much  debated  is  the  frequency  of  feeding. 
Should  an  adult  dog  be  fed  only  once,  twice,  or  oftener, 
during  the  day?  To  all  such  questions  no  categorical 
answer  can  be  given.  Circumstances  must  be  taken  into 
account.  It  has  been  said  that  the  dog's  stomach  is  large 
and  his  digestion  slow ;  that  the  carnivora  often  subsist  for 
days  on  a  single  meal,  etc.,  and  therefore  the  dog  should 
be  fed  only  once  a  day: 

The  dog's  stomach  is  rather  large  as  compared  with 
man's ;  but  the  rapidity  of  his  digestion  depends  greatly  on 
a  variety  of  circumstances.  Digestion  is  less  rapid  when 
the  stomach  is  distended,  and  in  an  animal  in  a  gross  con- 


110  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

dition,  as   compared  with   one  Dot   thus  burdened  with 
flesh. 

The  argument  from  the  wild  carnivora  must  not  be 
pushed  too  far,  since  their  mode  of  life  is  very  different 


FIG.  3.— STOMACH  OF  THE  Doo. 
A,  (Esophagus  ;  B,  Pylorus. 

In  the  Dog  and  Cat  the  ventriculus  is  but  little  curved,  and  is  pear-shaped,  the 
small  extremity  corresponding  to  the  pylorus.  The  cardia  is  dilated  like  a 
funnel,  and  is  nearer  the  left  extremity  of  the  organ  than  in  other  animals. 
The  oesophageal  mucous  membrane  is  not  continued  beyond  the  margin  of  that 
orifice.  The  simple  stomach  of  the  carnivora  forms  only  a  single  sac,  whose  in- 
ternal mucous  membrane  presents,  throughout  its  whole  extent,  the  same  or- 
ganization as  the  membrane  lining  the  right  sac  of  solipeds.  This  membrane 
is  remarkable  for  the  regular  and  undulated  folds  it  forms  when  the  stomach 
is  empty.  Nothing  is  more  variable  than  the  capacity  of  the  dog's  stomach, 
because  of  the  great  differences  in  the  size  of  this  animal,  according  to  breed. 
M.  Colin  has  found  the  minimum  to  be  \%  pints,  and  the  maximum  to  be  1^ 
gallons  ;  he  calculates  the  average  to  be  about  3$£  quarts.  In  the  cat,  the 
average  is  from  2  to  2#  gills.  (Cut  and  description  from  Chaveau.) 

from  that  of  the  dog  at  the  present  time.     More  reliable 
instruction  may  be  got  from  a  study  of  ourselves. 


THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  DOGS  IN  HEALTH. 

Some  men  eat  four  times  a  day,  others  three  times,  and 
some  only  once ;  and  those  who  have  varied  their  habits 
in  this  respect  know  that  the  result  is  often  much  the 
same  whether  the  individual  eats  twice  or  three  times 
daily. 

The  actual  quantity  of  food  taken  is  the  principal 
thing.  However,  there  are  persons  who,  having  tried  dif- 
ferent methods,  find  that  the  number  of  times  food  is  taken 
greatly  modifies  their  comfort  and  efficiency. 

So  far  as  the  feeding  of  packs  of  hounds  and  large 
kennels  is  concerned,  convenience,  rather  than  any  exact 
study  of  the  question,  has  probably  determined  that  the 
dogs  shall  be  fed  but  once  in  twenty-four  hours,  and  then 
allowed  as  much  as  they  care  to  eat.  The  result  is  that 
the  animals,  being  very  hungry,  gorge  themselves  to  dis- 
tention,  and  lie  about  in  a  very  lazy  manner  for  some  time 
afterward,  and  in  this  they  no  doubt  imitate  their  wild 
congeners. 

But  it  seems  more  than  doubtful  whether  this  is  the 
best  way,  regarded  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  dog's 
welfare  rather  than  the  keeper's  convenience. 

Dogs,  like  other  animals,  require  more  food  and  a 
larger  proportion  of  fatty  food  in  winter  than  in  summer ; 
and  to  feed  a  dog  but  once  a  day  during  the  severe  weather 
of  winter  seems  little  short  of  cruelty  in  the  larger  propor- 
tion of  cases. 

A  light  breakfast  erf,  say,  porridge  and  milk,  or  a  few 
wheat-meal  biscuits,  with  a  good  meal  at  night,  will  prob- 
ably serve  the  best  purpose.  But  to  all  rules  there  are 
exceptions,  and  some  dogs  will  do  much  better  if  fed  but 
once  a  day,  even  when  getting  a  moderate  amount  of  ex- 


112  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

ercise,  which  latter  has  been  assumed  throughout  in  the 
discussion  of  this  subject. 

Again,  with  very  hard-worked  hunting  dogs  a  break- 
fast has  only  proved  in  some  cases  a  source  of  indigestion 
and  diarrhoea.  But,  in  any  case,  dogs  should  never  be 
hunted  or  violently  exercised  just  after  a  meal.  It  has 
been  proved  that  in  such  cases  food  may  remain  for 
hours  undigested  in  the  stomach,  the  animal's  energies 
being  used  up,  especially  by  the  muscular  system. 

Dogs  may  be  allowed  such  exercise  as  they  will  them- 
selves take  in  play  just  after  a  meal,  or  very  soon  after,  at 
all  events. 

The  feeding  of  toy  dogs,  on  account  of  their  delicacy 
of  constitution  and  unnatural  mode  of  life,  requires  special 
care.  Meat  must  be  sparingly  given,  yet  not  absolutely 
withheld.  Milk  and  its  various  preparations  with  eggs, 
may  be  well  substituted,  with  stale  bread,  biscuits,  etc. 
When  only  a  single  dog  is  kept,  as  is  perhaps  usually  the 
case,  table  scraps  make  an  excellent  fare,  given  twice  a 
day  in  moderation,  but  avoiding  rich  gravies  and  pastry 
except  in  small  quantity.  In  the  large  majority  of  cases 
the  family  dog  is  fed  too  often  and  too  much,  and  were 
it  not  that  he  is  generally  a  hardy  mongrel,  the  results 
would  be  more  frequently  manifest  in  skin  disease  and 
other  troubles.  Rice  is  an  excellent  staple,  when  well 
boiled,  for  toy  dogs  that  are  poor  feeders. 

When  dogs  are  allowed  many  bones  of  a  kind  that 
can  be  masticated  and  swallowed,  they  are  apt  to  become 
constipated,  owing  to  the  excess  of  lime,  etc.,  forming  in- 
soluble soaps  in  the  intestine. 

Errors  in  feeding  are  responsible  for  more  derange- 


THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  DOGS  IN  HEALTH.        H3 

ments  of  the  dog  than  perhaps  all  other  causes  put  to- 
gether ;  hence  we  have  dwelt  on  this  subject. 

The  views  set  forth  may  be  thus  summarized :  The 
diet  should  be  a  mixed  one  in  which  all  the  essential  food- 
stuffs are  duly  represented.  Meat  may  occasionally,  under 
exceptional  circumstances,  be  safely  and  wisely  given  as  the 
exclusive  diet ;  usually  it  can  be  allowed  only  in  limited 
quantity,  but  in  no  case  must  it  be  permanently  withheld. 
Vegetables  are  to  be  regarded  as  correctives  rather  than  as 
foods.  Of  all  the  cereals,  wheat,  ground  moderately  fine 
and  used  to  make  bread,  biscuits,  and  porridge,  is  the 
best.  Oatmeal  and  corn-meal  answer  a  good  purpose, 
especially  in  winter.  Milk  is  useful,  but  not  in  large 
quantities  at  a  time,  nor  continuously.  Bones  under  due 
precautions  serve  an  excellent  purpose.  Patent  foods  are 
good,  but  not  as  a  staple  or  for  continuous  use. 

Whatever  foods  be  employed,  variety  is  of  the  utmost 
importance.  The  less  exercise  a  dog  gets,  and  the  more 
unfavorable  his  surroundings,  the  greater  the  care  ne- 
cessary in  regard  to  food  in  all  except  its  nutritive  quali- 
ties. "With  the  hard-worked  animal  the  latter  is  of  the 
greatest  moment. 

The  actual  quantity  consumed  within  a  given  period  is 
of  more  consequence  than  the  intervals  at  which  food  is 
given.  As  a  rule,  twice  in  twenty-four  hours  will  be  quite 
sufficient,  with  many  exceptions  in  favor  of  one  daily 
meal. 

In  all  matters  relating  to  feeding,  the  circumstances 
under  which  the  animal  lives,  and  its  individual  peculiari- 
ties, must  be  carefully  considered. 


THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 


EXERCISE    AND    OCCUPATION. 

The  dog  still  retains,  in  most  breeds,  the  activity  that 
is  characteristic  of  the  group  to  which  he  belongs  —  the 
carnivora. 

He  no  longer,  it  is  true,  seeks  prey,  but  he  naturally 
hunts  some  form  of  life  by  inherited  tendency,  and  man 
avails  himself  of  this  to  train  the  dog  to  various  kinds  of 
hunting,  to  watching,  guarding,  etc. 

Exercise  and  occupation  we  couple  together,  because 
the  former  is  best  secured  with  the  latter,  since  it  naturally 
follows  that  the  sort  of  development,  both  physical  and 
psychical,  which  adapts  him  for  the  intended  use  must  be 
best.  Apart  altogether  from  this,  however,  dogs,  like 
other  animals,  indeed  much  more  so  than  most  others,  re- 
quire exercise  to  keep  them  in  health.  We  can  not  dis- 
regard with  impunity  any  animal's  ancestral  or  inherited 
tendencies.  To  do  so  is  to  overlook  the  true  nature  of  the 
animal.  So  that  if  a  dog  can  not  be  taken  to  fields  or 
woods,  he  should  be  given  the  opportunity  somewhere  not 
only  to  walk,  but  to  romp  freely.  Exercise  should  be  pleas- 
ant; the  dog  must  have  some  opportunity  to  gratify  his 
instinctive  tendencies,  or  exercise  will  be  so  destitute  of  the 
element  of  occupation  or  interest  that  it  will  accomplish 
but  a  small  part  of  its  purpose.  To  lead  a  dog  out  by  a 
chain  is  better  than  no  exercise  at  all,  but  it  is  at  best  but 
a  poor  substitute.  To  keep  any  dog  constantly  chained  is 
simply  downright  cruelty.  The  yard  should  always,  when 
at  all  possible,  allow  of  moderate  exercise  and  freedom. 

In  only  exceptional  cases  will  a  dog  take  too  much 
exercise  in  a  yard,  however  large.  But,  even  with  the 


EXERCISE  AND  OCCUPATION.  H5 

freedom  such  circumstances  permit,  every  dog  should  be 
introduced  daily,  weather  permitting,  to  the  larger  outer 
world,  for  change,  to  develop  his  intelligence  and  to  stimu- 
late him  to  greater  efforts  and  attainments. 

We  shall  treat  the  whole  management  of  puppies  later, 
when  their  exercise,  etc.,  will  be  specially  considered. 

It  would  puzzle  the  best  physiologist  to  explain  fully 
why  exercise  is  so  beneficial.  It  seems  to  be  a  part  of  the 
actual  constitution  of  protoplasm,  that  foundation  for  all 
function,  to  be  in  constant  though  varying  action.  What 
we  term  rest  is  only  diminished  activity ;  and  that  princi- 
ple of  change  to  which  attention  has  been  called  as  regards 
diet  is  but  a  special  application  of  that  law  of  incessant 
change  which  seems  to  be  essential  in  all  life-processes. 
It  is  a  change  in  the  life  of  muscle  to  pass  from  "  rest "  or 
diminished  activity  to  greater  activity  and  back  again. 
Hence  rest  and  exercise  can  not  be  separated  in  a  healthy 
existence.  With  continuous  rest  or  continuous  activity, 
failure  of  vital  powers  is  inevitable.  Under  exercise  the 
circulation  is  quickened  with  a  corresponding  increase  in 
every  function  of  the  body.  Dogs  are  very  subject  to 
constipation,  yet  observe  how  freely  a  dog  will  empty 
the  bowels  during  a  ramble  in  the  fields.  Exercise  fills 
the  lungs  with  fresh  air;  the  dog  beholds  new  sights, 
hears  new  sounds,  sniffs  fresh  scents,  and  is  stimulated  in 
every  fiber  of  his  being. 

But  let  exercise,  good  as  it  is  in  itself,  be  carried  be- 
yond a  certain  point,  and  the  result  is  harm  rather  than 
good.  An  exhausted  dog  is  not  ready  to  digest  food — 
good  evidence  that  his  exercise  has  been  an  injury. 

It  is  not  usual  to  give  dogs  when  brought  in  from  ex- 


THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

ercise  as  much  care  as  horses ;  but  there  is  the  same  neces- 
sity for  it.  The  dog  takes  cold  also,  and  if  he  does  not 
show  his  derangement  in  the  same  way,  it  is  not  to  be  in- 
ferred that  it  is  a  matter  of  indifference  whether  he  is  al- 
lowed to  throw  himself  down  anywhere,  or  whether  he  is 
groomed  as  is  the  horse.  It  adds  enormously  to  the 
value  of  exercise,  and  diminishes  all  its  risks,  to  see  that 
afterward  the  dog  is  rubbed  dry  if  wet,  and  mud  or  dust 
removed — in  a  word,  to  make  sure  that  his  skin  is  re- 
duced to  a  comfortable  and  healthy  condition ;  and  if  to 
this  the  dog  be  shampooed  or  manipulated  like  an  athlete 
in  training,  the  results  for  good  will  be  as  satisfactory  as 
they  may  be  surprising  to  those  who  have  not  been  accus- 
tomed to  observe  such  things. 

It  is  difficult  to  convince  kennel  men  that  these  details 
are  of  great  importance,  but,  in  the  light  of  physiology, 
they  are  not  difficult  to  understand,  as  will  presently  be 
seen. 

It  will  be  much  more  satisfactory  to  accustom  dogs  to 
exercise  before  meals ;  in  fact,  exercise  of  a  violent  char- 
acter after  a  large  meal  is  directly  contra-indicated.  The 
dog's  energy  should  then  be  directed  to  his  digestive  sys- 
tem, and  not  diverted  to  his  muscles;  and  it  must  be 
borne  in  rnind  that  about  one  quarter  of  all  the  blood  in 
the  body  is  distributed  to  the  muscular  system,  with  a 
corresponding  diversion  of  nervous  energy. 

Occupation  founded  on  natural  instincts,  which  fur- 
nishes the  best  amusement  for  the  dog,  is  too  often  neg- 
lected. It  is  essential  for  the  best  physical  and  psychical 
development.  This,  of  course,  varies  with  the  breed ;  but 
a  dog  that  is  a  mere  loafer  is  not  apt  to  be  any  more  a  de- 


THE  CARE  OF  THE  DOG'S  SKIN. 

sirable  companion  than  the  human  being  of  like  character. 
~No  dog  is  naturally  such,  and  it  is  almost  cruel  to  force 
such  a  life  upon  him. 

The  difficulties  in  large  cities  of  meeting  these  require- 
ments as  to  exercise  and  occupation  are  considerable,  but 
the  writer  is  of  opinion  that  unless  a  dog  can  be  kept 
without  perverting  his  nature,  he  should  not  be  kept  at  all ; 
and  in  most  circumstances  a  little  thoughtful  consideration 
will  overcome  the  hindrances  to  natural  development. 

THE    CARE    OF    THE    DOG'S    SKIN. 

The  skin  in  all  animals  serves  three  main  purposes: 
(1)  It  is  a  means  of  communication  with  the  outer  world, 
or  a  collection  of  sense-organs  which  have  to  do  with 
"feeling"  in  its  widest  acceptation.  (2)  It  is  an  organ 
or  collection  of  organs  for  getting  rid  of  the  waste  of  the 
body — an  excretory  apparatus.  (3)  It  is  protective  in  a 
mechanical  way  and  against  loss  of  heat. 

In  the  dog  the  first  and  the  third  functions  seem  to  be 
most  developed.  As  to  the  first,  little  need  be  said  now. 
The  protective  functions  of  the  animal's  skin  reside  chief- 
ly in  the  hair,  which  is  kept  more  or  less  oily,  and  thus 
shielded  against  wet,  by  the  oil-secreting  glands  (sebaceous 
glands)  connected  with  the  individual  hairs.  Small  mus- 
cles attached  to  the  hair-follicles  permit  of  the  erection 
of  the  hair.  Sudorific  or  sweat-glands  are  less  abundant 
in  the  skin  of  the  dog  than  in  that  of  man  or  the  horse. 

We  take  the  opportunity  here  of  referring  to  the 
whole  subject  of  excretion  briefly,  as  it  will  not  only  ren- 
der the  understanding  of  the  dog's  skin  the  more  clear,  but 
throw  light  on  other  subjects  to  be  considered  hereafter. 


118 


THE  DOG  IN   HEALTH. 


The  whole  body  of  an  animal  must  be  regarded  as  a 
sort  of  factory,  in  which  numberless  chemical  processes 


Fia.  4.— HAIR  AND  HAIR-FOLLICLE  (AFTER  SAPPEY). 

1,  root  of  hair  ;  2,  bulb  of  hair  ;  3,  internal  root-sheath  ;  4,  external  root-sheath ; 
5,  membrane  of  hair-follicle  ;  6,  external  membrane  of  follicle  ;  7,  7,  muscular 
bands  attached  to  follicle  ;  8,  8,  extremities  of  bands  passing  to  skin  ;  9,  com- 
pound sebaceous  gland,  with  duct  (10)  opening  into  upper  third  of  follicle ; 
Jl,  simple  sebaceous  gland  ;  12,  opening  of  hair-follicle. 


THE  CARE  OF  THE  DOG'S  SKIN. 


119 


are  constantly  going  on,  with  the  result  that  useful  and 
harmful  products  are  being  constructed.  This,  if  not  the 
essence  of  life,  is  inseparable  from  all  vital  processes. 
The  animal  in  all  its  parts  is  built  up  from  its  food,  but 
sooner  or  later  the  whole  fabric  is  renewed  completely ; 
as  a  matter  of  fact,  the  building  up  and  tearing  down  go 
hand  in  hand,  and  constitute  what  physiologists  term  the 


FIG.  5.— PAPILLAE  OF  SSIN  OF  PALM  OF  HAND  (AFTER  SAPPEY). 

A  vascular  network  in  all  cases,  and  in  some  nerves  and  tactile  corpuscles,  enter 

the  papillae. 

metabolism  of  the  body.  Science  can  not  at  present  trace 
all  the  changes  a  piece  of  meat  undergoes  from  the  time  it 
enters  the  body  till  it  leaves  it.  There  are  no  doubt  very 
many  intermediate  bodies  formed  of  which  we  are  as  yet 
ignorant.  But  we  do  know  part  of  the  story.  The  meat  is 
digested  or  changed  to  blood  albumin ;  this  is  assimilated  or 
built  up  into  the  different  parts  of  the  body,  and  is  finally 
broken  down  and  expelled  in  forms  of  relative  chemical 
simplicity. 

Taking  food  as  a  whole,  it  may  be  considered  as  reap- 
pearing in  the  waste  of  the  body  (excretions)  largely  as 
water,  carbon  dioxide  (usually  called  carbonic-acid  gas), 


120  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

salts,  and  certain  nitrogenous  compounds,  of  which  the 
principal  is  urea.  While  these  are  the  compounds  best 
known,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  there  are  others  ex- 
pelled in  small  quantity,  but  which,  when  retained,  soon 
poison  and  derange  the  whole  mechanism  of  life — a  state- 
ment which  applies  with  more  or  less  force  to  every  body 
that  enters  into  the  excretions.  The  principal  excretory  or 
eliminative  organs  are  the  lungs,  skin,  kidneys,  and  bowels. 
Water  and  carbon  dioxide  pass  off  chiefly  by  the  lungs ; 
nitrogenous  waste  by  the  kidneys  in  the  urine.  Exactly 
what  is  expelled  by  the  bowels  beyond  the  undigested  re- 
mains of  food  is  not  so  well  known.  The  skin  gets  rid  of 
a  good  deal  of  water,  some  salts,  a  little  nitrogenous  waste 
(urea),  and  several  acids — i.  e.,  in  those  animals  whose 
skins  are  very  active,  as  is  the  case  with  man  and  the 
horse. 

The  dog  gets  rid  of  an  excess  of  water  by  the  respira- 
tory tract  and  the  mouth.  He  does  not  sweat  largely.  It 
would  seem  as  though  the  kidneys,  lungs,  and  mucous 
membrane  of  the  mouth  of  the  dog,  perhaps  also  his  sali- 
vary glands,  did  some  of  the  work  that  in  certain  animals 
is  accomplished  by  the  skin. 

The  connection  between  the  different  excretory  organs 
is  important  in  all  animals.  Each  is  supplemental  to  the 
other ;  each  can  to  a  certain  extent  act  for  the  other,  but 
only  for  a  limited  period  if  the  animal  is  not  to  suffer. 
What  Nature  seems  to  aim  at  is  a  balance  of  work  with 
division  of  labor,  each  organ  being  a  sort  of  specialist,  but 
one  that  is  not  wholly  out  of  touch  with  the  others. 

In  all  management  of  animals,  in  health  and  in  disease, 
there  is  no  more  important  truth  to  be  kept  in  mind  than 


THE  CARE  OF  THE  DOG'S  SKIN.        121 

these  relations  of  repair  and  waste,  of  assimilation  and  ex- 
cretion, and  of  the  mutual  dependence  of  parts.  They 
must  be  recognized  by  the  breeder  and  the  medical  prac- 
titioner, though  not  necessarily  in  a  conscious  way.  How- 
ever, a  clear  understanding  is  always  an  improvement  on 
a  merely  practical  adaptation.  Good  science  with  good 
practice  is  better  than  either  alone.  In  a  way,  every 
stableman  knows  that  grooming  a  horse  is  useful ;  hence 
the  very  term  "groom" — one  whose  business  it  is  to 
attend  to  the  skin  of  the  horse.  But  there  can  be  no 
question  that  attention  to  the  skin  of  the  dog  is  of  quite 
as  much  or  more  importance. 

The  skin  of  the  dog  in  all  pure-bred  varieties  is  sin- 
gularly liable  to  reflect  every  ailment  of  the  animal,  possi- 
bly because  of  its  limited  ability  to  throw  off  poisonous 
matters.  The  skin  of  the  carnivora  has  been  specialized 
for  protective  rather  than  excretory  functions,  and  when 
much  of  this  work  is  imposed  upon  it  by  the  partial  failure 
of  other  organs,  it  seems  to  break  down  under  the  task. 
Derangements  of  the  digestive  tract  are  immediately  ex- 
pressed in  the  skin. 

For  many  reasons,  therefore,  the  care  of  the  skin  be- 
comes of  great  practical  importance,  and  in  carrying  this 
out  we  must  not  neglect  any  of  its  functions. 

All  agree  that  grooming — i.  e.,  the  brushing,  etc. — of 
dogs  is  well  enough,  if  not  greatly  impressed  with  its 
value ;  but  on  the  subject  of  washing  there  is  more  differ- 
ence of  opinion.  In  the  light  of  the  facts  we  have  just 
considered,  it  will  not  be  difficult  to  outline  the  best  meth- 
ods of  caring  for  the  skin,  and  to  give  them  a  foundation 
that  is  both  sensible  and  scientific. 


122  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

The  wild  carnivora,  from  contact  with  grass,  forest 
brush,  clean  soil,  etc.,  do  not  get  fouled  as  dogs  roaming  a 
city  or  living  in  a  kennel.  The  former  have  running 
streams  and  lakes  to  bathe  in  when  so  inclined.  Their 
tongue  is  the  only  brush  needed  to  supplement  the  natu- 
ral rubbing  and  massage  they  get.  "We  will  do  well  to 
imitate  Nature,  and  this  implies  cleansing  the  dog,  when 
really  befouled,  by  washing,  but  avoiding  the  necessity 
for  this  as  much  as  possible;  also  daily  grooming  and 
massage. 

Washing. — The  only  circumstance  actually  calling  for 
washing  is  the  presence  of  real  dirt  on  the  dog's  skin  such 
as  can  not  be  removed  by  dry  treatment,  as  grooming. 
The  dangers  and  objections  to  washing  are  primarily  the 
liability  to  disturbances  of  the  circulation,  shock  to  the 
nervous  system,  catching  cold,  and  allied  results,  together 
with  the  removal  of  the  protecting  oil,  etc. 

These  are  to  be  obviated  by  care  in  the  following : 
Wetting  the  dog's  head  with  cold  water  before  he  is  placed 
in  the  bath ;  keeping  him  free  from  draughts  in  a  build- 
ing at  a  temperature  not  lower  than  60°  Fahr.  during  and 
especially  after  the  cleansing ;  using  water  of  a  tempera- 
ture related  to  the  season  of  the  year ;  rapid  and  nearly 
complete  drying  by  cloths,  followed  by  much  friction, 
hand  kneading,  and  rubbing ;  taking  the  animal  at  once, 
when  fully  dry,  for  a  brisk  run. 

It  is  better  not  to  wash  just  before  or  after  a  meal,  as 
the  shock,  etc.,  disturbs  digestion;  a  few  mouthfuls  of 
food  with  a  drink  of  warm  milk  after  the  dog  is  done 
with  the  hand-rubbing  is  a  good  precaution. 

After  all  these  measures  the  dog  must  be  kept  free 


THE  CARE  OF  THE  DOG'S  SKIN.  123 

from  draughts.  If  washing  must  be  done  in  winter  or 
for  medical  purposes,  blanketing  after,  for  a  few  liours  at 
all  events,  may  be  necessary. 

Washing  generally  requires  the  use  of  soap,  and  this 
especially  removes  the  oil  from  the  hair,  so  that  the  coat 
after  a  good  wash  is  generally  somewhat  dry  and  harsh  to 
the  feel,  while  repeated  washings  render  it  coarse  and 
otherwise  unnatural. 

The  soap  should  be  well  rinsed  out  with  soft  water 
colder  than  that  used  for  the  general  cleansing.  This  acts 
as  a  stimulant,  and  tends  to  prevent  taking  cold. 

Our  own  experience  teaches  us  that  headache,  nausea, 
etc.,  are  much  less  likely  to  follow  a  bath  if  the  head  be 
wet  first. 

It  is  important  to  see  that  the  ears  are  gently  but  well 
dried  far  within ;  otherwise  eczema  of  the  flap  and  pos- 
sibly inflammation  of  the  middle  ear,  may  follow. 

Grooming. — This  implies  friction  to  the  skin  with  ap- 
propriate means,  such  as  brushes,  gloves,  cloths,  chamois 
leather,  and  especially  the  naked  hand.  Common  sense 
dictates  that  this  must  vary  with  the  breed,  size,  sort  of 
coat  the  dog  has,  etc. 

The  idea  is  to  remove  dead  epithelial  scales  (dandruff, 
scurf),  foreign  matter,  as  dust,  to  straighten  hair  and 
remove  dead  hair,  quicken  the  functions  of  the  sebaceous 
glands  so  that  the  hair  will  be  oiled  by  a  natural  process, 
cause  a  distribution  of  blood  and  nervous  energy  to  all 
parts  of  the  skin,  and  so  encourage  all  its  functions.  Of 
late,  massage  or  kneading  of  the  skin  and  deeper  parts  in  a 
systematic  way  has  come  into  use  in  human  medical  prac- 
tice with  the  best  results,  though  its  value  has  long  been 


124 


THE  DOG  IN   HEALTH. 


known,  if  not  well  understood,  to  trainers  of  men  and 
other  animals  for  feats  of  speed,  etc. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  these  influences,  carried  in 
to  the  nervous  centers  from  the  skin  in  grooming  and 

massage,  are  reflected  to  all 
the  organs  and  tissues  of  the 
body,  and  serve  as  the  very 
best  sort  of  a  regulator  or 
natural  tonic. 

These  means  are  espe- 
cially valuable  just  after  ex- 
ercise, and  on  those  days 
when  the  weather  does  not 
permit  of  the  animals  being 
taken  into  the  fields  or  on 
the  highways. 

The  larger  breeds  of  dogs 
that  carry  a  heavy  coat  are 
apt  to  suffer  from  the  heat 
of  summer.  When  these 
animals  can  not  be  taken  to 
some  natural  body  of  water 
for  a  bath,  it  is  a  comfort 
to  them  to  supply  an  arti- 
ficial bath  into  which  they 
can  themselves  go  as  they 
feel  inclined.  It  requires  a 

little  study  to  manage  this,  and  at  the  same  time  not  allow 
the  dogs  to  get  into  dirt  afterward.  A  grass  run  is  very 
valuable  in  such  a  case.  The  excess  of  oil  in  the  coats  of 
these  breeds  makes  them  resisting  to  water,  and  they  are 


FIG.  6.— SUDORIPAROUS  GLANDS.   1  x  20 
(AFTER  SAPPEY). 

1, 1,  epidermis  ;  2, 2,  mucous  layer  ;  3, 3, 
papillae  ;  4,  4,  derma  ;  5,  5,  subcu- 
taneous areolar  tissue  ;  6,  6,  6,  6, 
sudoriparous  glands  ;  7,  7,  adipose 
vesicles;  8, 8,  excretory  ducts  in  der- 
ma ;  9, 9,  excretory  ducts  divided. 


BREEDING.  125 

not  spoiled,  as  in  the  case  of  other  dogs,  by  frequent  wet- 
tings. 

Of  course  a  dog  can  not  be  kept  clean  unless  provided 
with  proper  surroundings.  Every  place  where  he  is  ac- 
customed to  lie  should  be  ready  for  his  reception.  To  his 
bed  especial  attention  must  be  paid.  For  a  large  part  of 
the  year  nothing  equals  good  straw ;  it  is  both  warm  and 
clean.  It  should  be  changed  before  it  gets  very  short  and 
broken  up,  when  it  packs  and  irritates  the  dog  in  many 
ways,  and  before  it  becomes  saturated  with  emanations 
from  the  animal's  skin,  when  it  is  unhealthy  and  harbors 
vermin.  Pine  shavings  make  a  good  summer  bed,  but 
are  apt  to  cling  to  the  dog  when  he  leaves  his  resting- 
place. 

Some  disinfectant  beneath  the  bed  tends  to  preserve  it 
sweet  and  to  keep  away  vermin. 

BREEDING. 

In  the  lowest  animals  there  is  no  distinction  of  sexes, 
and  reproduction  of  the  species  is  maintained  by  division 
of  existing  forms,  one  becoming  two  or  more  separate 
individuals.  Among  the  invertebrates  the  two  sexes  are 
in  many  groups  united  in  one  individual,  a  common  ex- 
ample of  which  is  the  tape-worm.  In  all  vertebrates  the 
sexes  are  distinct,  and  copulation  or  its  equivalent  is  the 
rule.  Both  male  and  female  furnish  their  quota  to  the 
new  being.  To  explain  more  fully,  in  the  higher  verte- 
brates— e.  g.,  in  the  dog  tribe — the  female  organs  of  gen- 
eration at  definite  periods  undergo  changes  consequent  on 
a  special  accumulation  of  energy,  resulting  in  the  matura- 
tion in  the  ovary  of  eggs  (ova),  which  are  discharged  into  the 


126 


THE  DOG  IX  HEALTH, 


oviducts  (Fallopian  tubes),  where  they  become  impregnated 
by  the  male  cells  (spermatozoa)  when  coitus  takes  place. 


a- 


b.  t 


c.t. 


c.t. 


Fio.  7.— SAGITTAL  SECTION  OF  THE  OVARY  OF  AN  ADULT  BITCH  (AFTER  WALDEYER). 

o.  e,  ovarian  epithelium  ;  o.  t ,  ovarian  tubes  ;  y.  f,  younger  follicles  ;  o.  /,  older 
follicle  ;  d.  p,  discus  proligerus,  with  the  ovum  ;  e,  epithelium  of  a  second  ovum 
in  the  same  follicle  ;  /.  c,  fibrous  coat  of  the  follicle  ;  p.  c,  proper  coat  of  the 
follicle  ;  e. /,  epithelium  of  the  follicle  (membrana  granulosa);  a./,  collapsed 
atrophied  follicle  ;  b.  r,  blood-vessels  ;  c.  £,  cell-tubes  of  the  parovarium,  divided 
longitudinally  and  transversely  ;  t.  d,  tubular  depression  of  the  ovarian  epithe- 
lium, in  the  tissue  of  the  ovary ;  6.  e,  beginning  of  the  ovarian  epithelium, 
close  to  the  lower  border  of  the  ovary. 


BREEDING.  127 

In  all  that  relates  to  the  sexual  functions  in  the  female 
we  have  an  illustration  of  the  great  law  of  periodicity  of 
rhythm.  A  bitch  experiences  these  recurrences  of  sexual 
activity  at  regular  more  or  less  fixed  periods,  usually  twice 
a  year,  and,  though  these  may  be  delayed  or  shortened, 
they  are  upon  the  whole  very  regular. 

Naturally  the  entire  nature  of  the  animal  participates 
in  corresponding  changes.  Usually  they  are  preceded  by 
a  short  interval  of  excitement,  indicating  the  approach 
of  a  more  profound  change.  The  mammary  glands  may 
slightly  enlarge ;  the  bitch,  if  young,  may  show  rapid 
growth ;  some  fall  off  in  flesh  ;  the  disposition  is  modified; 
etc.  The  generative  apparatus  forming  a  connected 
whole,  it  is  not  strange  that  the  activity  of  the  es- 
sential organs  (ovaries)  is  accompanied  by  a  correspond- 
ing increase  in  vascularity  or  blood  supply  of  other 
parts,  so  that  the  external  genitals  (vulva)  enlarge. 
There  is  a  visible  flow  of  mucus,  to  be  soon  followed 
by  blood. 

As  soon  as  the  ova  are  mature  the  female  will  accept 
the  male.  This  is  not  usually  prior  to  the  appearance  of 
blood,  but  may  be  before  it  has  disappeared  or  soon  after, 
generally  the  latter. 

As  there  is  nothing  to  show  clearly  that  the  period  of 
the  coitus  or  service  has  anything  to  do  with  the  sex  of 
the  offspring,  the  bitch  may  be  allowed  to  choose  her  own 
time  for  congress  with  the  male. 

As  it  is  not  possible  to  be  certain  that  all  the  ova 

mature   at  one  time,  it  is  not   irrational  to  allow  of  a 

second   service   after    an    interval   of   one  or   two   days, 

though  it  is  likely  that  if  the  first  was  in  every  way  a 

10 


128 


THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 


complete  coitus  and  mutually  desired,  a  second  is  super- 
fluous ;  but  of  this  one  can  never  be  sure. 

The  mode  of  coitus  in  the  dog  is  characteristic,  owing 
to  the  peculiar  structure  of  the  penis,  the  action  of  the 
female's  vagina,  etc. 


FIG.  8.— EMBRYO  OP  DOG,  TWENTY-FIVE  DAYS  OLD,  OPENED  ON  VENTRAL  SIDE. 
CHEST  AND  VENTRAL  WALLS  HAVE  BEEN  REMOVED. 

a,  nose-pits  ;  6,  eyes  ;  c,  under-jaw  (first  gill-arch);  rf,  second  gill-arch  ;  e, /,<;,  ft, 
heart  (e,  right,  /,  left  auricle  ;  g,  right,  ft,  left  ventricle);  i,  aorta  (origin  of); 
fcfc,  liver  (in  the  middle  between  the  two  lobes  is  the  cut  yelk- vein);  Z,  stomach  ; 
m,  intestine  ;  n,  yelk-sac  ;  o,  primitive  kidneys  ;  p,  allantois  ;  g,  fore-limbs  ; 
ft,  hind-limbs.  The  crooked  embryo  has  been  stretched  straight.  (Haeckel, 
after  Bischoff.) 

The  penis  consists  of  two  erectile  portions.  In  the 
anterior  part  of  the  organ  there  is  a  bone.  The  posterior 
erectile  region  is  the  larger,  and  during  copulation  is  spas- 


BREEDING.  129 

medically  (reflexly)  grasped  by  the  muscles  (sphincter 
cunni)  of  the  vagina,  so  that  the  male  organ  can  not  be 
withdrawn  until  erection  subsides.  Since  certain  glands 
(Cowper's)  that  secrete  diluting  fluids  are  wanting  in  the 
dog,  as  well  as  the  reservoirs  (seminal  vesicles)  in  which 
in  many  animals  semen  is  stored  up,  the  importance  of 
this  arrangement  enforcing  prolonged  copulation  can  be 
understood. 

The  forcible  separation  of  dogs  in  coitu  may  lead  to 
rupture  of  parts  and  dangerous  bleeding. 

The  whole  period  of  being  in  "heat,"  "in  season," 
or  "  in  use  "  extends  over  about  three  weeks,  but  often 
longer,  and  of  course  in  a  minority  of  cases  less.  During 
the  whole  of  this  period,  as  a  rule,  it  is  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance to  keep  the  bitch  entirely  separate  from  all  dogs 
except  the  one  selected.  The  sexual  appetite  of  bitches  is 
strong  and  persistent,  and  no  risks  should  be  taken. 

The  meeting  of  male  and  female  cells  usually  results 
in  impregnation  or  that  commingling  of  their  parts  which 
results  in  the  division  (segmentation)  of  the  female  cell 
(egg,  ovum)  and  its  whole  growth  and  development. 
Strictly  speaking,  however,  we  should  say  that  the  two 
are  blended  for  growth,  etc.  If  this  were  more  carefully 
kept  in  mind  the  whole  subject  of  breeding  might  be  dis- 
cussed in  a  more  intelligent  manner. 

The  two  united  cells  making  up  the  as  yet  undevel- 
oped individual  soon  provide  arrangements  for  receiving 
nourishment  from  the  mother  and  getting  rid  of  the  waste 
of  their  own  life-processes.  This  is  accomplished  by  cer- 
tain outgrowths  which  develop  into  the  placenta,  which 
may  be  finally  said  to  consist  of  two  parts — a  maternal  and 


130  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

a  foetal — in  each  of  wliicli  the  structure  is  essentially  simi- 
lar, viz.,  blood-vessels  covered  with  a  layer  of  cells  which 
elaborate  the  material  from  the  mother's  blood  and  fit  it 
for  the  nourishment  of  the  young  animal,  and  which  also 
excrete  into  the  mother's  blood  the  waste  that  has  been 
thrown  into  the  blood  of  the  foetus  by  its  own  excretory 
organs. 

It  is  highly  important  to  understand  clearly  the  nature 
of  impregnation  and  the  relation  of  the  mother  and  foetus 
in  utero. 

From  these  relations  we  think  the  following  principles 
must  of  necessity  follow  : 

1.  The  offspring  must  be  in  some  degree  a  compound 
of  the  nature  of  both  parents,  but  not  equally  in  most 
cases.     Some  stud  dogs  are  "  prepotent,"  or  have  an  un- 
usual power  in  imparting  their  own  nature  to  their  off- 
spring.    The  same  applies  to  some  bitches. 

It  is  also  evident  that  all  in  the  same  litter  may  not 
equally  represent  both  parents.  It  would  be  strange  if  it 
were  so,  as  the  actual  influence  of  the  male  cells  may  not 
be  equal  on  each  ovum  or  all  male  cells  may  not  be  equally 
potent.  In  fact,  there  is  of  necessity  great  room  for  all 
sorts  of  variations  in  such  matters,  so  that  all  rigid  dicta 
as  to  which  parent  exercises  the  most  influence  on  the 
offspring  are  out  of  place. 

2.  The  dam,  from  her  long  connection  with  the  foetus, 
must  exercise  an  influence  peculiarly  her  own.     Since  her 
health,  her  temper,  her  occupation,  etc.,  all  have  an  influ- 
ence on  her  own  nutrition  and  that  of  her  offspring,  it  is 
of  the  highest  importance  that  the  brood  bitch  should  be 
given  the  greatest  care. 


BREEDING.  131 

Everything  that  tends  to  her  welfare  in  any  way  must 
influence  the  offspring  more  or  less,  and  the  reverse. 

3.  From  the  close  connection  between  mother  and 
foetus,  it  follows  that  the  foetus  must  also  influence  the 
mother,  and  more  or  less  permanently ;  which  explains 
why  the  members  of  subsequent  litters  may  show  an  un- 
mistakable resemblance  to  previous  sires.  The  nature  of 
the  sire  is  of  necessity  impressed  on  the  dam  to  some  ex- 
tent, but  in  most  cases  it  is  slight  and  not  obvious ;  but 
it  is  difficult  to  see  how,  from  the  nature  of  the  connec- 
tion between  mother  and  foetus,  the  sire's  influence  can 
be  wholly  avoided. 

"  Reversion "  or  "  atavism "  is  resemblance  to  a  pre- 
vious ancestor. 

There  is  a  wide-spread  belief  among  breeders  that  the 
offspring  resemble  the  sire  in  external  form  and  the  dam 
in  the  internal  or  hidden  form,  or  that  which  determines 
disposition,  stamina,  etc. 

But  it  is  not  to  be  forgotten  that  a  sire  is  generally 
selected  with  more  care  than  a  brood  bitch,  and  often  be- 
cause he  has  a  striking  and  pleasing  form  and  with  but 
little  regard  to  his  constitution,  which  is  but  seldom  a  sub- 
ject of  special  inquiry. 

Mating. — All  sound  rules  for  mating  must  be  based  on 
such  principles  as  we  have  endeavored  to  set  forth. 

Both  parents  must  be  equally  considered. 

In  wild  animals  there  is  the  freest  choice  and  the 
greatest  degree  of  intercrossing  within  the  limits  of  the 
species,  which  result  in  bringing  together  in  the  male  and 
female  cells  protoplasm  of  the  most  diverse  experiences, 
which  seems  to  result  in  the  highest  vitality ;  while  the 


132  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

more  inbreeding  the  less  vigor  at  all  events,  as  a  rule, 
whatever  else  may  be  attained. 

Pure-bred  dogs  must,  in  the  nature  of  the  case,  be  very 
much  inbred  as  compared  with  mongrels,  which  in  great 
part  explains  why  they  are  less  hardy  and  more  liable 
to  all  sorts  of  derangements. 

The  problem  with  the  breeder  narrows  itself  down  to 
this :  How  can  the  highest  perfection  of  type  in  its  most 
comprehensive  sense,  including  physical  and  psychical 
qualities,  be  attained  ?  The  more  he  strives  for  form,  the 
more  liable  is  he,  perhaps,  to  fail  in  some  other  direction ; 
for,  having  got  certain  strains  which  meet  his  ideals  pretty 
well,  he  fears  to  introduce  outside  blood  lest  he  disturb, 
by  the  meeting  of  protoplasm  more  unlike  than  that  of 
his  own  strains,  the  balance  that  exists,  and  thus  get,  per- 
haps, a  series  of  "  variations  "  or  departures  from  the  type 
he  does  not  desire. 

"We  think  the  solution  lies  in  this  principle :  to  keep 
within  the  lines  that  give  the  type  as  long  as  there  is 
no  sign  of  deterioration  in  any  direction,  notably  in  size, 
stamina,  or  intelligence,  which  are  apt  to  suffer  by  inbreed- 
ing ;  but  when  an  outcross  is  necessary,  to  introduce  one 
as  similar  as  possible ;  in  other  words,  to  make  departures 
by  gradual  steps  only. 

Pedigree  is  indispensable  in  breeding ;  but  in  consider- 
ing family  lines  the  conditions  under  which  the  animals 
have  lived  are  of  no  little  moment.  To  breed  a  brother 
anr*  sister  brought  up  in  the  same  kennel  is  quite  a  differ- 
ent natter  from  breeding  the  same  relatives  one  of  which 
was  reared  in  England,  say,  and  the  other  in  America. 

As  a  rule,  the  less  closely  animals  are  bred,  provided 


BREEDING.  133 

type  can  be  secured  and  maintained,  the  better,  and  the 
reasons  must  be  clear  on  a  little  consideration. 

But  similarity  is  fatal  to  success  if  carried  beyond  a  cer- 
tain point.  We,  of  course,  refer  to  that  deep,  underlying 
similarity  commonly  expressed  by  the  term  "  same  blood," 
but  which  is  better  understood  if  we  use  the  term  proto- 
plasm, or  life-stuff  of  similar  experiences.  All  the  cells  of 
the  animal  body  are,  of  course,  composed  of  protoplasm. 

But  in  all  cases  the  parents  must  be  considered  much 
more  than  the  other  ancestors.  "Why  is  this  ? 

Because  the  parents  are  the  outcome  of  the  entire  an- 
cestry, and  while  they  may  have  hidden  or  latent  qualities, 
good  or  bad,  dependent  on  the  ancestry,  we  can  not  hope 
that  those  obvious  qualities  which  they  possess  will  not 
appear  in  the  offspring.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  they  do 
usually  crop  up ;  and  when  a  mating  is  made,  the  problem 
is  always  a  complex  one,  with  many  factors  known  only  in 
a  vague  way  by  the  pedigree,  but  others  more  clear  and 
certain  as  actually  existent  in  the  parents. 

Glaring  faults  are  almost  sure  to  be  reproduced,  no 
matter  how  good  the  mating  in  other  respects,  so  that  an 
animal  of  very  pronounced  defects  in  physical  or  psychical 
qualities  should  be  rejected  as  a  breeder ;  all  the  more  so 
if  these  were  known  to  exist  in  the  more  remote  ancestors. 

Disposition  and  stamina  are  of  the  utmost  importance, 
in  the  brood  bitch  especially,  as  they  are  very  likely  to 
be  reproduced  in  the  offspring.  But  inasmuch  as  two 
dogs  ideal  in  all  respects  can  not  generally  be  found  for 
the  mating,  we  inquire,  "What  is  the  best  to  be  done  ? 

Assuming  that  in  the  bitch  there  is  good  intelligence, 
disposition,  and  stamina,  if  she  have  no  defects  of  form, 


134  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

etc.,  beyond  mediocrity,  good  results  in  a  fair  proportion 
of  the  litter  may  be  looked  for  if  she  be  mated  with  a  dog 
not  only  free  from  these  faults,  but  possessing  the  oppo- 
site qualities  even  slightly  in  excess.  But  from  two  ex- 
tremes or  from  two  decided  opposites  good  results  need 
not  be  expected  from  a  single  mating.  Faults  when  pro- 
nounced can  only  be  corrected  by  degrees. 

It  will  be  found  that  bitches  with  poor  digestion,  and  de- 
fective in  stamina  generally,  and  those  that  in  addition  are 
liable  to  any  form  of  disease,  rarely  make  good  breeders 
or  nurses.  If  they  are  not  able  to  cope  with  the  environ- 
ment under  ordinary  circumstances,  how  can  they  be  ex- 
pected to  do  so  when  they  are  handicapped  in  providing 
for  half  a  dozen  other  creatures  from  their  own  resources  ? 

Dogs  lacking  in  health,  vigor,  and  resisting  power 
should  not  be  used  in  the  public  stud,  especially  where,  if 
they  happen  to  be  famous  winners,  they  may  be  much  in 
demand,  and  so  have  their  vitality  diminished  still  more. 
It  is  difficult  enough  to  raise  pure-bred  puppies  when  the 
parents  are  both  all  that  can  be  desired  in  these  respects. 

It  will  very  often  be  found,  for  the  reasons  stated,  that 
a  show  bitch  is  a  poor  breeder,  while  a  more  homely  but 
strongly-made  and  vigorous  creature,  judiciously  mated, 
provided  she  come  of  good  stock,  will  produce  offspring 
much  superior  to  herself  in  form  and  other  qualities. 

THE  CARE    OP  THE   STUD  DOG. 

There  is  plenty  of  evidence  to  show  that  the  condition 
of  the  dog  chosen  to  mate  with  a  bitch  is  not  a  matter 
of  indifference,  but  may  have  a  marked  effect  on  the 
constitution  of  the  progeny.  He  should  be  in  such  con- 


CARE  OF  THE  BROOD  BITCH.  135 

dition  as  fits  him  for  doing  the  work  for  which  the  breed 
is  intended,  and  should  in  no  case  be  overburdened  with 
flesh,  soft  in  muscle,  or  suffer  from  any  derangement  of 
health. 

When  a  dog  is  placed  in  the  public  stud  the  drain  on 
his  vital  powers  may  be  so  great  that  unless  unusual  pre> 
cautions  are  taken  the  dog  may  be  broken  down  in  health, 
or,  at  all  events,  become  prematurely  old,  not  to  speak  of 
the  natural  result  of  impaired  vitality,  etc.,  in  the  off- 
spring. Of  such  dogs  the  greatest  care  must  be  taken 
even  to  the  minutest  details.  They  may  require  at  times 
very  concentrated  and  nutritious  food — as  eggs,  strong 
broths,  and  even  such  special  helps  as  cod-liver  oil,  phos- 
phates (containing  iron),  etc.  It  is  to  be  remembered, 
however,  that  such  frequent  use  of  a  stud  dog  as  to  require 
such  adjuvants,  especially  if  he  be  in  his  prime,  clearly 
proves  that  he  is  being  overtaxed. 

The  extent  to  which  a  dog,  with  a  bitch  in  season  near, 
will  lose  flesh  in  a  few  days  indicates  that  the  stud  dog 
should  be  kept  so  far  away  from  bitches  in  this  condition 
that  he  will  not  be  aware  of  their  presence,  and  thus  have 
no  superfluous  source  of  drain  on  his  vital  powers. 

Every  stud  dog  should  have  periods  of  sexual  rest  to 
allow  of  natural  recuperation — somewhat  analogous  to 
turning  a  horse  out  to  pasture. 

THE  CARE  OF  THE  BROOD  BITCH. 

The  bitch,  still  more  than  the  dog,  if  possible,  should 
be  at  her  best  in  every  way  before  being  mated.  She 
should  be  fully  matured.  In  the  author's  opinion,  a 
bitch  should  never  be  bred  in  her  first  season,  no  matter 


136  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

of  what  breed  or  how  fully  grown  she  may  seem  to  be. 
Her  constitution  can  not  be  matured,  and  to  put  on  her 
the  severest  strain  possible  is  unwise,  if  not  cruel,  as  re- 
gards the  offspring,  and  still  more  the  bitch  herself. 
This  is  especially  true  of  the  larger  breeds. 

It  is  well  known  that  a  fleshy  bitch  is  apt  to  miss  con- 
ception, and  as  at  some  period  of  gestation  the  usual  exer- 
cise a  dog  should  get  must  in  her  case  be  cut  down  more 
or  less,  if  she  is  even  a  little  thin  but  extra  hard  in  mus- 
cle it  will  be  well. 

Many  bitches  that  have  failed  to  conceive  will  do  so 
when  reduced  to  a  very  thin  condition.  It  is  also  recom- 
mended to  give  such  a  brisk  run  just  before  and  just  after 
copulation,  especially  the  former. 

Barrenness  exists  to  some  extent  among  all  animals. 
Before  a  bitch  in  her  prime  is  given  up  as  hopelessly  bar- 
ren, she  should  be  reduced  to  a  low  condition  of  flesh  and 
tried  at  successive  seasons  with  different  young  and  vig- 
orous dogs.  Even  purgation  and  bleeding,  to  reduce  the 
animal  still  lower,  have  been  tried,  it  is  said,  with  success. 

While  in  "season"  the  bitch  must  often,  to  avoid 
accidents,  be  less  exercised  than  usual,  in  which  case  her 
food  must  be  cut  down  in  quantity  and  be  less  stimulating 
— i.  e.,  contain  less  meat,  and  consist  more  of  milk,  porridge, 
bread,  etc. 

It  is  a  wise  precaution  to  give  exercise  on  chain,  con- 
sidering the  eagerness  of  bitches  to  meet  the  opposite  sex 
regardless  of  pedigree,  the  methods  they  will  employ  to 
escape,  and  in  how  brief  a  moment  the  best-laid  plans  may 
be  shattered. 

It  occasionally  happens  that  a  dog  will  not  mate  with  a 


CARE    OP  THE  BROOD  BITCH.  137 

certain  bitch,  or  that  a  dog  seems  to  be  unable  to  effectu- 
ally copulate  even  if  inclined,  as  they  now  and  then  are 
not.  It  is  impossible  to  lay  down  any  definite  rule  to 
meet  such  cases.  A  consultation  with  some  experienced 
breeder,  or  practitioner  of  canine  medicine,  will  be  best  for 
the  novice.  It  means,  of  course,  that  there  is  something 
wrong  either  in  the  health  or  the  formation  of  the  genitals 
of  the  dog  or  bitch,  most  likely  the  former.  Such  cases 
are  rare,  and  often  a  little  common  sense  solves  the  prob- 
lem. An  unwilling  or  forced  service  on  the  part  of  the 
bitch  may  not  prove  unfruitful,  especially  if  the  first  one. 
The  treatment  of  the  hitch  after  conception  is  of  much 
importance. 

It  must  constantly  be  borne  in  mind  that  several  young 
are  being  developed  entirely  at  the  expense  of  one  or- 
ganism, that  of  the  dam.  In  wild  animals  their  natural 
conditions  and  their  unerring  instincts  suffice.  But  when 
man  takes  matters  into  his  own  hands,  as  with  our  do- 
mestic animals,  all  this  is  changed  in  large  measure. 

In  most  bitches  some  little  alteration  in  demeanor  may 
be  detected  by  the  experienced  eye  which  suggests  that 
the  mating  has  been  successful. 

It  is  seldom  that  change  in  size,  shape,  or  weight  is 
appreciable  before  the  fourth  or  fifth  week  of  gestation. 
Sometimes  at  this  period  there  is  only  the  slightest 
modification  in  shape.  But  often  when  the  bitch  is  laid 
on  her  side  or  back  the  young  may  be  felt  through  the 
walls  of  the  abdomen  in  the  horns  of  the  uterus.  If  the 
bitch  is  not  somewhat  enlarged  at  the  sixth  week,  the  case 
is  not  hopeful,  though  not  hopeless. 

The  whole    period    of  gestation   extends    over  nine 


138  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

weeks,  or  from  fifty-eight  to  sixty-five  days.  Puppies  are 
not  likely  to  be  born  alive  before  the  fiftieth  day,  though 
they  may  be  delayed  several  days  without  any  apparent 
detriment  in  many  cases.  The  average  period  of  gesta- 
tion is  about  sixty-three  days. 

There  is  room  for  the  greatest  discretion  in  the  man- 
agement of  the  brood  bitch,  and  common  sense  with  a  few 
guiding  scientific  principles  are  worth  volumes  of  rules 
without  reasons,  for  no  two  cases  precisely  resemble  each 
other. 

For  the  first  month  there  is  so  little  change  in  the 
bitch,  the  foetuses  being  very  small,  that  there  seems  to  be 
no  special  reason  for  departing  from  the  usual  practices  in 
the  management.  At  the  same  time  there  may  be  periods 
when  the  close  observer  will  see  that  the  animal  is  disin- 
clined to  exercise,  needs  not  only  abundance  of  food,  but 
some  special  change,  etc.  It  is  during  the  first  six  weeks 
that  plenty  of  exercise  can  be  given,  including  galloping, 
provided  the  bitch  is  not  given  to  abort.  If  so,  she  must 
be  exercised  gently. 

Her  appetite  may  or  may  not  be  increased. 

There  can  be  little  doubt  that  if  a  bitch  is  engaged  in 
her  proper  occupation — e.  g.,  a  hunting-dog  in  hunting — 
it  will  be  better,  or  shall  we  say  may  be  better,,  for  the 
psychical  development  of  the  offspring.  This  the  author 
believes  is  borne  out  by  both  theory  and  practice.  And, 
at  all  events,  every  animal  enjoys  its  life  most  and  thrives 
best  when  following  its  natural  instincts — i.  e.,  when  it  has 
some  occupation  congenial  to  it. 

The  last  three  weeks  are  the  most  important  in  them- 
selves, and  for  this  period  the  bitch  should  have  been  pre- 


CARE  OF  THE  BROOD  BITCH.  139 

pared  in  the  preceding  weeks.  Exercise  must  usually  be 
gradually  diminished.  Toward  the  end  of  the  period 
some  animals  are  very  much  disinclined  to  exercise,  and 
lose  flesh  in  spite  of  good  feeding  and  the  best  of  care  in 
other  respects.  In  such  cases  it  would  be  unwise  to  ex- 
haust the  energies  by  their  undue  diversion  to  the  muscles 
by  vigorous  exercise.  Common  sense  must  dictate. 

The  appetite  may  greatly  increase,  and  the  animal's 
food  should  be  abundant  and  very  nutritious.  If  she 
shows  any  falling  off,  she  must  be  given  cod-liver  oil  or 
chemically  pure  lime  phosphate  or  Parrish's  food,  espe- 
cially if  the  bitch  be  herself  light  in  bone.  The  diges- 
tion must  be  carefully  watched.  If  the  bowels  are  not 
regular  in  their  action,  if  the  eyes  run,  if  the  tongue  be 
whitish,  a  change  of  diet,  or  possibly  a  little  less  for 
twenty-four  hours,  will  prove  helpful.  Medicine  is  to  be 
avoided  if  possible,  and  violent  purgation  is  never  called 
for — in  fact,  may  cause  abortion. 

Ventilation  is  of  importance,  as  the  bitch  must  pro- 
vide for  the  aeration  and  purification  of  the  blood  of  the 
young  within  her  as  well  as  her  own.  The  more  she  can 
live  out  of  doors  the  better. 

A  bitch  may  often  with  advantage  be  fed  three  times 
a  day  instead  of  twice.  She  may  then  not  become  so  dis- 
tended and  uncomfortable,  since  she  requires  to  take  less 
at  each  meal. 

About  the  sixth  week  she  should  be  treated  for  worms. 
This  is  always  a  matter  of  safe  routine,  unless  the  bitch  is 
unusually  delicate,  has  aborted  previously,  or  for  some 
other  special  reason.  Later,  such  treatment  is  not  so 
free  from  danger;  but  if  there  be  clear  symptoms  of 


140  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

worms,  especially  tape-worms,  treatment  is  justifiable. 
The  pumpkin-seed  treatment  (see  page  355)  is  compara- 
tively safe  even  during  the  last  week.  It  is  also  well  to 
treat  the  bitch  for  worms  just  as  she  is  coming  into  season, 
or  a  little  before,  when  the  dosing  should  be  thorough. 

The  brood  bitch  should  not  be  fat  at  any  period  of  ges- 
tation, but  above  all  at  its  close.  Such  nearly  always  im- 
plies lack  of  vigor  and  inability  to  meet  the  strain  of 
whelping.  It  moreover  presents  a  mechanical  impedi- 
ment, as  with  external  fat  there  is  generally  internal  fat, 
and  at  this  time  all  the  room  possible  is  wanted  within. 

When  a  bitch  with  a  ravenous  appetite  tends  to  get  fat, 
it  is  well  to  give  more  meat  and  less  starchy  food.  The 
excess  of  fat  must  be  removed,  not  by  starving,  which  is 
dangerous  for  the  young,  but  by  modification  of  the  diet, 
and  especially  by  more  exercise.  : 

Preparation  for  whelping  should  in  every  case  be 
made.  All  forms  of  dirt  and  every  kind  of  vermin  on  the 
dam  are  a  source  of  danger  for  the  puppies. 

A  bitch  may  be  safely  washed  a  few  days  before 
whelping-time,  and  in  nearly  every  case  will  be  benefited 
by  it  if  done  with  proper  care.  Of  course  there  is  more 
risk  in  winter ;  but,  except  in  rare  cases,  breeding  should 
be  regulated  to  have  the  puppies  whelped  in  spring  or 
summer.  The  former  is  the  better  period,  as  distemper 
is  often  rampant  in  the  fall,  and  the  older  the  puppies,  if 
attacked  by  this  malady,  the  greater  are  their  chances  of 
survival.  Naturally,  the  months  from  April  to  Novem- 
ber are  those  permitting  of  that  outdoor  life  essential  to 
the  development  of  puppies. 


THE  BOSTON  TERRIER  PRINCE  WALNUT, 
WINNER  OF  TWO  PRIZES. 

By  comparing  the  illustration  of  the  bulldog  and  the  bull-terrier,  it  will  be  seen 
that  the  Boston  terrier  is  intermediate  in  form. 


WHELPING. 


WHELPING. 

Natural  instinct  generally  shows  itself  in  the  bitch, 
leading  her  to  seek  retirement,  to  keep  more  quiet,  to 
eat  less,  etc. 

When  the  brood  bitch  is  one  of  a  kennel,  her  instincts 
should  be  assisted.  She  should  be  allowed  an  entirely 
separate  abode,  out  of  sight  of  all  other  dogs,  and  given 
lighter  food,  especially  if  her  appetite  is  capricious.  A 
meal  of  porridge  and  milk  tends  to  open  the  bowels  ;  but 
if  they  are  confined,  a  dose  of  castor  oil  is  demanded,  or 
an  injection  of  warm  soap-suds  with  castor  oil. 

The  latter  is  preferable  if  the  bitch's  stomach  is  not  in 
first-rate  condition.  Medicine  is  to  be  avoided  if  possible, 
as  there  is  no  sense  in  prematurely  disturbing  a  nature 
that  must  soon  be  put  to  a  great  strain.  Actual  constipa- 
tion should  not  be  allowed  in  the  brood  bitch  at  any  time, 
above  all  toward  the  close,  since  a  full  bowel  must  prove  a 
great  mechanical  hindrance  to  the  passage  outward  of  the 
young,  not  to  speak  of  the  general  disturbance  to  health. 

Some  bitches  become  very  nervous,  almost  maniacal, 
just  before  whelping.  Soothing,  quiet,  even  darkness, 
help  such  ;  but  if  these  do  not  suffice,  a  dose  of  twenty 
grains  of  bromide  of  potassium  may  be  given  with  safety. 
However,  medical  treatment  will  be  considered  in  another 
part  of  this  work. 

"While  a  bitch  should  be  allowed  considerable  freedom 
in  the  choice  of  her  whelping-place,  there  is  a  limit  to  this. 
If  the  animal  be  left  in  a  fair-sized  apartment,  such  as  a 
"  stall  "  or  "  loose  box  "  in  a  stable,  out  of  sight  and  out 
of  hearing,  if  possible,  of  other  dogs,  given  some  straw  in 


142  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

one  corner,  she  will  in  general  take  to  it  and  whelp  quietly 
and  well.  But  a  few  additional  precautions  are  not  super- 
fluous. Beneath  the  straw  a  piece  of  old  but  clean  carpet 
may  be  tacked  to  the  floor,  on  which  latter  a  little  of  some 
disinfectant  has  been  placed,  and  over  this  the  straw.  The 
idea  is  that  the  claws  of  the  puppies  shall,  by  catching  in 
it,  enable  them  the  better  to  suck  the  dam,  as  the  straw  be- 
neath them  is  generally  clawed  back.  The  carpet  must  be 
soon  removed,  however,  or  it  will  become  a  source  of  dis- 
ease. The  writer  does  not  consider  it  essential. 

A  shallow  board  guard  placed  around  one  corner  will 
keep  in  the  straw,  and  give  the  bitch  the  feeling  of  com- 
fort arising  from  having  a  little  spot  all  to  herself. 

Some  recommend  a  ledging,  about  four  inches  wide 
and  a  little  way  from  the  floor,  to  be  provided  so  that  the 
bitch  may  not  crush  the  puppies  against  the  wall,  etc.  It 
may  prove  useful  in  some  cases,  but  in  others  will  not  be 
necessary,  and  may  prove  a  source  of  inconvenience  to 
the  mother. 

Only  those  whom  the  bitch  knows  and  likes  should  ap- 
proach her  when  whelping ;  better  if  only  one,  and  he  as 
seldom  as  possible.  Still,  some  little  oversight  is  necessary 
withal,  and  in  many  more  than  a  little.  It  can  be  man- 
aged so  as  not  to  disturb  the  bitch,  but  to  assure  her.  She 
will  soon  perceive  its  object.  Gentle  caressing,  a  little 
milk-gruel,  or  merely  cold  water,  if  offered  in  the  right 
spirit,  will  be  appreciated  even  if  not  taken ;  but  fidgeti- 
ness will  do  only  harm.  That  very  coarse  and  lowly 
organized  sort  of  human  nature  to  which  animals  are 
sometimes  intrusted  is  never  more  out  of  place  than  about 
the  pure-bred  bitch  during  parturition. 


WHELPING.  143 

The  temperature  of  the  whelping  department  should 
be  such  that  the  delicate,  newly  born  puppies  may  not  be 
chilled  if  they  get  separated  from  their  mother.  It  should 
not  be  lower  than  about  68°  F.,  and  may  even  be  higher. 

Cleanliness  in  the  whelping  nest  is  looked  after  by 
the  dam  herself  for  a  considerable  period.  She  usually,  as 
soon  as  a  puppy  is  born,  gnaws  the  navel  string  (umbilical 
cord)  across,  thus  disconnecting  mother  and  offspring  in  a 
safe  and  ready  way. 

She  also  disposes  of  the  after-birth  (placenta)  by  eat- 
ing it  eagerly ;  and  it  would  seem  that,  owing  possibly  to 
the  discharges  (meconium)  it  contains,  this  acts  as  a  natu- 
ral laxative  for  the  bitch. 

The  escape  of  the  waters  (liquor  amnify  etc.,  leaves 
the  bitch  herself  and  the  bedding  in  a  very  unsuitable  con- 
dition, though  the  mother  licks  the  puppies  themselves 
into  perfect  cleanliness. 

As  soon  as  the  puppies  have  been  all,  or  most  of  them, 
born,  it  is  well  to  renew  the  bedding  carefully,  using  a 
little  of  some  disinfectant,  as  "  Sanitas  sawdust,"  and  to 
sponge  off  the  bitch  where  she  most  needs  it  with  warm 
water,  to  which  a  few  drops  of  carbolic  acid,  etc.,  may  be 
added,  drying  well  with  cloths. 

Toward  the  end  of  the  first  w^eek,  if  all  goes  well,  she 
may  be  carefully  washed  all  over  in  lukewarm  water,  finally 
rinsing  with  cooler  water,  drying  quickly,  and  using  much 
hand-rubbing,  to  prevent  unfavorable  effects  (see  p.  122). 

The  strain  of  whelping  and  the  attempt  on  the  part  of 
the  organism  to  adjust  to  the  new  conditions,  including 
the  activity  of  a  large  amount  of  gland  tissue  in  the  secre- 
tion of  milk,  may  not  be  so  perfect  that  there  will  be  no 
11 


144  THE   DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

febrile  reaction.  Consider  how  great  is  the  adaptation  that 
must  be  made,  and  that  this  is  sometimes  affected  without 
the  rise  of  a  single  degree  in  the  temperature,  and  we  have 
an  illustration  of  how  marvelous  is  Nature's  power  to 
modify  to  such  a  greatly  changed  state  of  things.  As  to 
this,  much  will  depend  on  the  previous  management  of 
the  brood  bitch,  as  well  as  on  her  natural  organization. 

Very  generally  the  secretion  of  milk  is  gradually  pre- 
pared for  by  an  enlargement  of  the  mammary  glands 
prior  to  whelping — often  weeks  in  advance;  but  in  this 
matter  there  is  the  greatest  individual  variation.  Some 
bitches  have  plenty  of  milk  days  before  parturition  begins ; 
others  have  but  little  for  from  twenty-four  to  forty-eight 
hours  afterward — all  within  the  limits  of  health  and  safety. 

As  a  rule,  the  indication  is  to  allow  the  puppies,  as 
soon  as  they  can  suck  the  dam,  which  they  will  generally 
attempt,  to  do  so,  unless  for  some  special  reason.  This 
is  to  be  encourged,  as  it  seems  to  have  a  beneficial  effect 
on  the  bitch's  nature  in  every  way. 

Occasionally,  however,  the  trials  and  sufferings  of  the 
mother  during  labor  or  afterward  justify  the  temporary 
removal  of  the  whelps,  when  they  must  be  kept  warm  and 
carefully  coddled. 

From  the  first  every  facility  should  be  offered  for  the 
free  and  natural  action  of  the  mother.  She  should  be 
given  to  understand  that  she  is  not  a  prisoner,  but  should 
be  encouraged  to  leave  the  nursery  to  attend  to  nature's 
calls,  get  a  little  fresh  air,  stretch  herself,  etc.  But  noth- 
ing must  be  strained  or  forced,  otherwise  the  effect  on  her 
nervous  system  is  likely  to  be  felt  in  either  the  quantity 
or  quality  of  the  milk,  her  digestive  powers,  etc. 


THE  WELSH  TERRIER  BRYNHIR  PARDON. 
(K.  C.  S.  B.,  28,297.) 

For  description,  see  page  56. 


CHOICE  OF   PUPPIES.  145 

In  the  case  of  the  brood  bitch,  as  in  all  else  that  con- 
cerns the  dog,  we  must  act  as  if  a  human  being  were  con- 
cerned, and  a  similar  regard  for  the  animal's  feelings 
should  be  shown  as  in  the  case  of  a  member  of  the  human 
family ;  in  fact,  in  the  case  of  some  dogs  more,  the  sub- 
missive, dependent,  gentle,  and  approval-loving  traits  of 
the  dog  being  among  its  most  pronounced  attributes.  No 
one  can  better  manage  a  brood  bitch  than  a  lady  of  refine- 
ment, who  has  had  some  experience  with  the  canine  race 
and  is  gifted  with  discretion  and  a  practical  turn  of  mind. 
Men,  in  dealing  with  dogs  in  whelping,  must  try  and  feel 
as  women,  and  to  do  this  is  worth  more  than  any  amount 
of  specific  directions,  especially  if  there  be  an  intelligent 
comprehension  of  the  nature  of  the  physiological  pro- 
cesses involved. 

CHOICE   OP  PUPPIES. 

It  very  generally  happens  that  more  puppies  are 
born  than  the  dam  can  rear  successfully  or  without  great 
injury  to  herself. 

In  most  litters  the  puppies  are  not  all  equally  beauti- 
ful or  equally  vigorous ;  and  if  the  purpose  is  to  breed  to 
the  best  advantage  rather  than  to  supply  the  market,  it 
will  be  wise  to  follow  Nature  and  send  the  weakest  to 
the  wall,  or  imitate  "  natural  selection,"  for,  without  doubt, 
the  weakest  do  generally  perish  in  the  litters  of  wild 
animals. 

When  some  are  very  obviously  both  weak  and  small, 
these  are  plainly  to  be  selected  for  drowning,  and  he 
who  can  not  drown  should  not  breed.  "The  survival 
of  the  fittest"  is  Nature's  law,  and  it  must  be  followed 


146  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

out  when  the  fittest  or  tlie  unfittest  can  be  selected  with 
certainty. 

But  how,  in  many  cases,  to  choose  the  best  is  no  easy 
matter  even  to  the  most  experienced.  One  is  greatly 
aided  often  by  past  experience  of  puppies  raised  by  the 
same  bitch,  such  and  such  like  puppies  having  grown  up 
with  such  and  such  merits  and  defects. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  the  smallest  at  birth  may 
become  the  largest,  and  a  coarse-looking  puppy  may  show, 
when  developed,  both  vigor  and  quality. 

It  is  not  possible  to  lay  down  rules  that  will  apply 
alike  to  all  breeds,  but  it  is  certainly  always  very  risky  to 
retain  the  smallest  and  weakest  puppy.  Delicate  animals 
greatly  increase  the  breeder's  worries,  no  matter  what  their 
beauty.  Often  the  young  seem  so  much  alike  in  form, 
etc.,  that  one  may  as  well  choose  for  color  and  markings. 
The  advice  of  an  experienced  breeder  is  often  of  the 
utmost  value  to  the  novice  in  the  choice  of  puppies.  In 
general,  a  bitch  can  not  raise  well,  in  justice  to  herself, 
more  than  four  to  six  puppies.  To  leave  to  a  dam  of  any 
breed  from  eight  to  twelve  puppies  is  sometimes  down- 
right cruelty  and  generally  very  poor  policy,  unless  the 
welfare  and  future  of  the  puppies,  and  especially  of  the 
bitch,  are  to  be  wholly  ignored.  An  animal  has  only  so 
much  vital  energy,  and  if  this  be  exhausted  in  rearing  one 
litter,  the  bitch  must  of  necessity  be  made  prematurely  old. 

Often,  however,  the  puppies  are  so  valuable,  from  their 
breeding  (pedigree),  that  the  owner  can  not  afford  to  sac- 
rifice any  of  them. 

In  other  cases  the  mother  is,  from  various  reasons,  un- 
able to  suckle  any  of  the  litter.  She  may  be  very  much 


THE  FOSTER-MOTHER.  147 

exhausted,  may  be  dangerously  sick  from  blood-poisoning, 
inflammation  of  the  womb,  etc. ;  she  may  lack  milk,  or  it 
may  act  as  a  sort  of  poison.  In  all  such  cases,  if  the  lit- 
ter is  to  be  saved,  a  foster-mother  is  to  be  secured. 

THE   FOSTER-MOTHER. 

The  essential  qualification  is  the  ability  to  take  the 
actual  dam's  place  as  completely  as  possible.  The  bitch 
must  be  not  only  vigorous,  free  from  skin  disease,  etc., 
but,  in  addition,  good-tempered,  and  able  to  supply  at 
once,  and  to  continue  to  do  so,  an  abundance  of  milk  of 
good  quality.  If  a  past  history,  showing  that  the  require- 
ments have  been  met  by  the  particular  animal  in  question, 
can  be  obtained,  so  much  the  better.  As  a  rule,  a  bitch 
with  a  good  appetite  and  digestion  bears  the  strain  of  sup- 
plying half  a  dozen  hungry,  growing  young  puppies  with 
their  entire  nourishment  for  four  weeks,  and  with  a  good 
part  of  it  longer,  and  so  makes  the  best  foster-mother.  A 
dainty  feeder  may  be  at  once  rejected. 

If  the  animal  be  of  the  same  or  closely  allied  breed,  so 
much  the  better.  Even  a  cat  may  serve  for  small  puppies. 

If  the  foster-mother  has  just  whelped,  or  is  about  to 
whelp  at  once,  the  case  is  most  favorable  to  the  ready  adop- 
tion of  the  stranger  offspring.  Before  introducing  them 
they  may  be  allowed  to  lie  awhile  with  her  own  progeny  in 
her  absence,  to  get  the  scent  from  them,  then  have  their 
heads,  etc.,  smeared  with  some  of  the  foster-mother's  milk, 
and  be  introduced  cautiously  at  night.  However,  much 
must  be  left  to  the  discretion  of  whoever  undertakes  this 
delicate  and  sometimes  impossible  task. 

The  mother  herself   should   be  removed  so  far  away 


14:8  THB  DOG  1N  HEALTH. 

that  she  shall  not  know  what  has  become  of  her  offspring. 
It  is  important  that  the  milk  glands  of  the  mother  be 
relieved  from  distention  in  those  cases  where  it  is  found 
desirable  to  remove  puppies  while  the  bitch  is  in  full  milk. 
One  at  least  had  better  be  left.  If  not,  the  secretion  of 
milk  should  be  limited  by  giving  laxatives,  dry  food,  etc. 
At  first,  after  the  birth  of  puppies,  there  may  be  an  abun- 
dant and  rapid  secretion,  and  if  this  be  not  removed  by 
the  nursing  of  a  puppy,  with  or  without  aid  by  the  hand, 
febrile  reaction  may  be  severe,  or  even  caking  or  inflam- 
mation of  the  mammary  glands  may  occur. 

The  method  of  drying  up  the  milk,  which  is  really 
preventing  its  secretion,  will  be  considered  shortly. 

THE  CARE  OF  THE  BROOD  BITCH  AFTER  WHELPING. 

In  anticipation  of  febrile  reaction  or  milk  fever,  it  is 
well  to  feed  lightly,  both  as  to  quantity  and  quality,  for 
the  first  twenty-four  hours  or  longer,  unless  the  bitch 
shows  great  exhaustion,  when  easily  digested  but  concen- 
trated nourishment  is  demanded ;  so  that  gruel,  milk, 
eggs  beaten  up  with  milk,  stale  bread  and  milk,  etc.,  are 
ordinarily  indicated.  But  some  bitches  dislike  such  food 
even  when  prepared  in  the  nicest  way,  and,  as  a  rule, 
unless  there  is  positive  fever  or  other  contra-indication, 
their  tastes  may  be  consulted  with  little  risk — at  all  events, 
in  moderation. 

The  stools  should  be  especially  looked  to,  as  they  are 
an  index  to  the  state  of  the  digestion.  Constipation  is  se- 
rious, and  diarrhoea  must  be  checked,  or  the  strength  of 
the  bitch  will  suffer  and  her  milk  possibly  fail.  However, 
a  relaxed  condition  for  one  or  two  days  is  rather  to  be 


CARE  OF  THE  BROOD   BITCH  AFTER  WHELPING.     149 

favored,  as  tending  to  prevent  fever  and  get  rid  of  tissue 
waste,  etc. 

Constipation  may  best  be  relieved  by  a  rectal  injection. 
The  less  medicine  the  brood  bitch  is  given  the  better,  con- 
sistent with  actual  safety,  as  it  not  only  modifies  her  own 
vital  processes,  but,  through  the  milk,  that  of  the  puppies. 

After  the  first  week  the  bitch  should  be  given  exercise 
regularly,  at  first  only  walking  her,  then  gradually  intro- 
ducing more  and  more  of  that  form  of  exercise  which  by 
breed,  previous  habits,  etc.,  is  best  adapted  to  her.  It  will 
be  more  pleasant  in  many  cases  to  her  to  accompany  the 
other  dogs  of  the  kennel,  when  she  will  thrive  all  the  bet- 
ter in  that  case. 

The  feeding  of  the  nursing  bitch  can  scarcely  be  over- 
done, if  her  appetite  be  taken  as  a  guide  and  she  does  not 
gain  in  flesh.  After  three  weeks  she  is  apt  to  show  a  fall- 
ing off,  and  it  may  be  necessary  to  add  to  the  food  those 
helps  to  nutrition  referred  to  previously. 

A  nursing  bitch  should  almost  from  the  first  be  fed 
three  times  a  day.  The  demands  on  her  are  very  great, 
and  if  not  met  by  food,  the  supplies  will  be  drawn  from 
her  other  tissues,  to  her  detriment — i.  e.,  the  milk  glands 
will  rob  the  other  tissues  of  the  body. 

At  the  best  she  will  suffer  temporarily  after  the  nurs- 
ing period  is  over,  if  not  before  then.  A  bitch  always 
loses  her  coat  after  whelping,  usually  grows  thinner,  the 
skin  becomes  irritable,  and  eczema  is  liable  to  follow.  If 
neglected  in  the  matter  of  food,  she  may  be  ruined ;  her 
constitution  may  be  hopelessly  undermined.  However, 
the  digestive  powers  must  be  carefully  watched,  for  they 
are  not  always  equal  to  the  needs  of  the  tissues, 


150  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

It  is  needless  to  remark  that  every  means  employed  to 
keep  dogs  in  health  should  be  specially  used  in  the  case  of 
an  animal  so  taxed  as  the  brood  bitch.  As  a  matter  of 
fact,  however,  such  practices  as  grooming,  washing,  even 
exercise,  are  too  often  neglected,  so  that  the  unfortunate 
creature  often  enough  pays  heavily  for  the  pleasures  of 
maternity. 

We  are  now  in  a  better  position  to  answer  the  impor- 
tant query :  How  often  should  a  bitch  be  bred  ? 

Considering  how  much  is  involved  in  the  four  months 
of  maternal  life  of  a  bitch,  it  is  not  surprising  that  ex- 
perience has  shown  that  to  breed  a  bitch  as  often  as  she 
comes  in  season  is  one  of  the  surest  ways  to  render  her 
prematurely  old.  Once  a  year  at  most  is  often  enough  to 
breed  any  bitch,  and  too  often  for  many.  As  a  rule,  the 
higher  the  show  quality  of  the  animal,  the  more  important 
is  it  to  spare  her.  Surely  this  matter  should  be  looked  at 
from  a  humanitarian  point  of  view ! 

THE  REARING  OF  PUPPIES. 

A  large  proportion  of  the  worries  and  discourage- 
ments, as  well  as  the  pleasures  and  successes,  of  the  breed- 
er of  dogs  have  their  source  in  puppies. 

Until  a  young  dog  is  matured,  especially  till  he  is  one 
year  old,  he  must  be  a  source  of  more  or  less  anxiety  to 
one  who  really  knows  the  risks.  During  this  age  of 
growth  and  development  there  are,  however,  times  of 
greater  danger,  or  critical  periods.  These  are  when  being 
weaned,  when  getting  the  permanent  teeth,  and  between 
these  two  periods  chiefly,  or,  to  put  it  otherwise,  till  the 
puppy  is  eight  or  nine  months  old. 


THE  REARING  OF  PUPPIES.  151 

"  To  be  forewarned  is  to  be  half  armed,"  applies  in  a 
very  high  degree  in  regard  to  these  youthful  troubles. 
Prevention  is  better  than  cure  always,  but  especially  so 
in  this  case ;  for  such  is  the  delicate  nature  of  all  young, 
pure-bred  dogs,  as  compared  with  the  curs  that  run  the 
streets,  that  it  is  very  often  a  grave  question  whether 
medicine,  which  may  help  in  the  troubles  of  older  dogs,  will 
not  do  more  harm  than  good  with  puppies.  Certainly 
all  the  arrangements  should  be  made  with  a  full  realization 
of  possible  dangers  and  their  prevention,  rather  than  of 
dosing  with  medicines.  The  breeder  who  does  not  act  on 
this  principle  will  not  be  a  success ;  and  the  practitioner 
of  canine  medicine,  like  his  colleague  in  human  medicine, 
is  discharging  his  highest  functions  when  he  advises  so  as 
to  prevent  evils  which,  in  a  good  proportion  of  cases,  he 
can  but  imperfectly  remedy. 

But  in  this  as  in  every  other  case,  if  we  would  pro- 
ceed on  a  sound  basis,  wre  must  grasp  those  few  underly- 
ing principles  on  which  all  the  details  hinge. 

Let  us  consider  that  we  have  to  do  with  a  rapidly 
growing  being  that  must  adapt  its  own.  altering  constitu- 
tion to  a  changing  environment.  There  is  a  double  in- 
stability. The  constitution  of  the  creature  alters  con- 
stantly and  rapidly,  and  this  alone  is  no  small  factor ;  and 
the  changing  animal  must  be  adapted  to  all  vicissitudes 
of  climate  and  to  everything  that  enters  into  the  environ- 
ment, so  that  the  practical  problem  with  the  breeder  is 
this  :  To  adapt  the  environment,  as  far  as  possible,  to 
changes  that  are  inevitable  in  the  organization  of  the 
puppy ;  and  in  doing  this  two  extremes  are  to  be  avoided 
— constant  coddling  and  neglect. 


152  THE  DOG  IN   HEALTH. 

For  its  development  the  young  animal  requires  abun- 
dant and  suitable  food,  pure  fresh  air,  exercise,  amuse- 
ment, occupation,  and  training,  with  protection  against 
the  inclemencies  of  the  weather,  against  filth,  and  all  else 
that  hinders  development  and  tends  to  favor  actual  dis- 
ease. 

Now,  manifestly  here  again  we  must  not  lay  down  iron 
rules.  Every  one  must,  in  a  large  degree,  be  his  own 
judge  as  to  how  best  to  attain  these  ends,  for  not  only  are 
all  puppies  not  alike,  but  environments  must  of  necessity 
differ  very  widely.  It  will  be  our  purpose  to  indicate  the 
fundamental  principles  which  should  guide,  not  to  supply 
rules  for  combinations  of  circumstances  that  are  never 
twice  alike.  It  must  not  be  forgotten,  either,  that  perhaps 
the  most  important  factor  of  all  in  the  environment  is  the 
individual  who  undertakes  the  work  of  rearing  puppies. 
If  he  lack  intelligence  and  a  sympathetic  feeling  with 
dogs,  by  which  alone  they  can  be  comprehended,  it  is  idle 
to  hope  that  any  directions  will  be  of  avail.  A  litter  that 
with  the  same  general  management  will  grow  up  to  the 
highest  perfection  they  are  capable  of  under  one  man,  will 
be  miserable  culls  under  another  who  may  think  he  is 
following  the  same  course,  but  who  neglects  details  of 
adaptation  which  all  the  books  in  the  world  could  not 
furnish. 

WEANING  PUPPIES. 

So  long  as  the  puppies  and  the  dam  are  perfectly 
well  they  should  not  be  separated.  It  but  rarely  happens, 
however,  that  a  pure-bred  bitch  can  suckle  puppies  longer 
than  four  to  five  weeks  without  immediate  or  future  detri- 
ment to  herself  especially,  and  not  seldom  must  the  dam 


THE  AIREDALE  TERRIERS 
CHAMPION  NEWBOLD  TEST  AND  CHAMPION  VIXEN  III. 

For  description,  see  page  56. 


WEANING  PUPPIES. 


153 


be  helped  in  her  duties  after  the  third  week.  This  should 
be  done  very  gradually,  for  the  change  from  mother's  milk 
to  any  other  food  implies  a  grave  strain  on  these  delicate 
stomachs. 

It  now  and  then  happens  that  an  attempt  must  be 
made  to  hand-feed  puppies  from  the  first,  when  a  foster- 
mother  can  not  be  secured.  With  one  this  may  be  man- 
aged, just  as  an  infant  is  fed  from  a  bottle,  but  at  best  it  is 
of  doubtful  success,  and  with  a  whole  litter  it  requires  a 
patience  almost  beyond  human  nature. 

The  only  suitable  first  food  of  the  puppy  is,  of  course, 
that  most  like  what  he  has  had — viz.,  milk — and  practi- 
cally this  must  be  cow's  milk.  Experience  shows  that 
this  can  not  at  first  be  given  undiluted,  not  because  it  is 
richer  than  bitch's  milk — for  the  following  table  shows 
that  the  latter  far  exceeds  most  other  kinds  of  milk  in 
nutritive  qualities — but  because  the  stomach,  etc.,  can  not 
at  once  adapt  itself  to  the  new  food. 

Percentage  Composition  of  Milk. 


CONSTITUENTS. 

Woman. 

Cow. 

Mare. 

Bitch. 

Casein.                     

2-00 

4-00 

2-50 

10-00 

Fats            

2-75 

4-00 

2-00 

10-00 

Salts    

0-25 

0-60 

0-50 

0-50 

5-00 

4-40 

5-00 

3-50 

Total  solids  

10-00 

13-00 

10-00 

24-00 

Water 

90-00 

87-00 

90-00 

76-00 

About  one  half  water  for  a  couple  of  days,  gradually 
strengthened  to  full  quality,  will  suit  best.  Puppies  soon 
learn  to  lap  milk,  which  should,  of  course,  be  made  all 
the  more  like  that  of  the  mother  by  being  warmed,  and  a 
little  sugar  added  for  a  few  days. 


154  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

Very  soon  easily  digested  solid  food,  as  boiled  rice, 
well-cooked  oatmeal  porridge,  and  stale  bread,  may  be  add- 
ed to  the  milk  ;  and  in  a  few  days  more  a  little  broth,  rather 
weak  and  free  from  fat,  may  replace  part  of  the  milk,  etc. 

But  if  the  puppies  bloat  under  any  food,  either  they 
have  worms  or  the  food  is  not  agreeing  with  them  in 
quality  or  quantity.  Gradual  adaptation,  with  simplicity 
yet  some  variety,  is  the  key  to  successful  puppy  feeding 
at  this  period. 

The  weaning  usually  may  be  accomplished  in  about 
ten  days,  and  it  is  a  critical  period,  during  which  many 
puppies  are  lost.  If  the  whelps  do  not  seem  to  thrive  as 
they  ought,  the  addition  of  a  few  drops  of  cod-liver  oil 
for  each  may  prove  very  helpful. 

The  difficulties  of  this  and  the  period  of  the  succeed- 
ing weeks  arise  in  part  from  the  fact  that  the  mother, 
that  up  to  this  time  has  been  a  most  faithful  groom  and 
scavenger,  begins  to  weary  of  this  no  longer  very  pleasant 
work.  The  canine  infants  evacuate  the  bladder  and  bow- 
els frequently,  hence  their  nest  is  soon  badly  fouled,  they 
themselves  get  dirty,  the  air  is  poisoned,  and  a  whole  chain 
of  evils  sets  in,  the  end  of  which  is  not  infrequently  death, 
though  the  average  observer  may  not  always  see  the  con- 
nection. 

One  source  of  mischief,  and  among  the  greatest,  has 
received  surprisingly  little  attention  in  writings  on  the 
management  of  the  dog ;  but  in  the  author's  opinion  it  is 
one  of  the  gravest  of  all. 

All  puppies,  as  soon  as  they  begin  to  feed,  and  espe- 
cially after  they  have  left  the  dam  entirely,  get  smeared 
about  the  head  parts  with  the  food  used.  True,  they  will 


WEANING  PUPPIES.  155 

attempt  to  lick  each  other  clean ;  but,  in  the  case  of  long- 
eared  dogs  especially,  these,  if  not  kept  carefully  cleansed, 
by  hanging  into  the  food,  become  the  source  of  much 
mischief.  The  food  dries  on  the  puppies'  hair,  irritates 
the  skin,  and  will  of  itself  cause  eczema,  both  external 
and  internal  (canker) ;  and  worse  still,  perhaps,  such  neg- 
lect is  almost  certain  to  be  followed  by  lice,  which  soon 
become  a  plague,  that  from  the  constant  irritation  utterly 
derange  the  health  of  the  animal,  cause  universal  skin  dis- 
ease to  add  to  its  misery,  and  have  sent  many  a  fine  puppy 
to  an  untimely  grave.  Their  treatment  we  will  consider  in 
the  medical  part  of  this  work,  along  with  that  of  other 
parasites ;  but  prevention  is  now  our  theme. 

My  own  plan  is  the  following :  Immediately  after  eat- 
ing, each  puppy  is  cleansed  with  a  sponge  dipped  in  luke- 
warm water  and  rubbed  dry  with  a  clean  cloth.  If  the 
ears  are  long,  they  are  pinned  back  by  the  hair  behind  the 
neck  with  spring  clothes-pegs.  If  the  bed  be  clean,  and 
the  other  precautions  to  be  suggested  later  be  observed, 
no  lice  need  be  feared.  However,  the  inexperienced  are 
warned  to  look  for  these  creatures  carefully,  especially 
about  the  outer  ears,  as  they  are  not  easy  to  detect  if  few, 
clinging  as  whitish  specks  close  to  the  actual  skin.  They 
are  best  seen  when  the  skin  is  wet. 

At  the  time  of  weaning  the  dam  must  not  be  for- 
gotten. Her  milk  must  be  gradually  dried  up — i.  e.,  its 
secretion  lessened,  and  finally  wholly  arrested.  Usually 
this  is  facilitated  by  a  little  simple  treatment,  though  in 
occasional  pases  the  matter  takes  care  of  itself.  The  ap- 
plication of  camphorated  oil,  fluid  extract  of  belladonna 
(poisonous,  and  must  not  be  licked  off,  which  the  bella- 


156  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

donna  liniment  is  less  likely  to  be),  strong  vinegar,  etc., 
tends  to  arrest  the  secretion  of  milk.  But  perhaps  a 
strong  solution  of  camphor  in  alcohol  is,  upon  the  whole, 
the  best,  and  is  perfectly  safe  for  external  application 
several  times  a  day.  In  obstinate  cases  a  drop  of  the 
fluid  extract  of  belladonna  may  be  given  twice  a  day. 

Then,  great  care  must  be  taken  to  get  the  bitch  back  to 
her  former  vigor  as  soon  as  possible.  The  skin  is  very 
liable  to  suffer,  and  requires  careful  watching — in  fact,  as 
is  usual  with  dogs,  it  is  a  remarkably  good  index  of  the 
general  health  of  the  animal.  The  neglect  of  brood 
bitches  that  have  faithfully  done  their  duty,  as  too  often 
witnessed,  must  grieve  any  right-minded  man  sorely. 

Not  seldom  must  the  bitch  have  tonic  treatment,  as 
cod-liver  oil,  iron,  phosphates,  quinine,  etc. 

FEEDING    FUFPIE& 

The  principles  underlying  the  feeding  of  dogs  hav- 
ing been  already  pretty  fully  discussed,  it  will  only  be 
necessary  to  point  out  certain  precautions  to  be  taken  in 
the  case  of  puppies.  It  must  always  be  borne  in  mind 
that  puppies  are  in  need  of  food  to  construct  new  and 
rapidly  growing  tissues,  as  well  as  to  maintain  ordinary 
wear  and  tear,  like  adult  animals ;  hence  their  food  must 
be  abundant,  nutritious,  complete — i.  e.,  contain  all  neces- 
sary constituents.  But  it  must,  in  addition,  be  suited  to 
the  changing  needs  of  the  animal  and  the  condition  of 
the  digestive  tract,  which,  of  course,  vary  from  week  to 
week. 

It  must  not  contain  too  much  liquid  or  be  sloppy,  else 
the  digestive  system  is  relaxed  and  enfeebled.  An  all- 


FEEDING  PUPPIES.  157 

milk  diet  is  not  suitable,  nor  one  wholly  of  broth.  While 
it  is  not  true  that  milk  directly  causes  worms,  through 
conveying  their  germs,  there  is  nevertheless  some  founda- 
tion for  this  prejudice,  inasmuch  as  it  does  when  largely 
and  continuously  used  by  weakening  the  digestive  organs, 
favoring  excess  of  mucus,  etc.,  tend  to  produce  an  envi- 
ronment suitable  for  the  development  of  parasites. 

When  bread  and  milk,  broth  and  bread,  and  such  like 
foods  are  used,  the  dry  material  should  be  allowed  to  soak 
up  the  liquid,  so  that  the  whole  will  be  moist  but  not  sur- 
rounded by  liquid.  Dry  bread-crusts  and  biscuits  are  use- 
ful, and  tend  mechanically  to  remove  excess  of  mucus, 
the  worms  themselves  and  their  germs.  Powdered  char- 
coal is  sometimes  administered  with  the  same  end  in  view, 
as  well  as  to  prevent  that  flatulency  and  distention  not  un- 
common in  puppies. 

Sour  milk  or  buttermilk  given  now  and  then  acts  as 
a  tonic,  especially  in  hot  weather,  if  not  used  in  too  large 
quantity  at  once;  and  the  acid  it  contains  is  no  doubt 
unfavorable  to  worms. 

But  since  buttermilk  lacks  the  fat  (and  some  of  the 
casein)  of  entire  milk,  it  is  not  a  suitable  food  for  dogs  in 
quantity  or  continuously.  Dogs  "  at  walk  "  in  the  coun- 
try often  get  too  much  of  it  for  their  best  development,  it 
is  feared. 

Puppies,  as  soon  as  they  cut  their  teeth,  should  be  al- 
lowed bones  that  are  suitable — i.  e.,  large  ones — that  they 
can  gnaw  and  suck  but  not  break,  and  not  hard  enough  to 
wear  down  or  fracture  the  teeth.  They  strengthen  the 
teeth,  jaws,  etc.,  as  well  as  amuse. 

All  puppies  after  eight  weeks  require  a  little  meat,  the 


158  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

quantity  varying  with  the  breed,  conditions  of  life,  the  in- 
dividual, etc.  A  diet  of  meat  alone  is  too  stimulating  for 
a  puppy  of  any  age,  while  one  destitute  of  it  will  never 
develop  a  dog  of  the  highest  quality.  A  little  raw  meat, 
cut  very  fine,  has  a  tonic  effect  on  the  digestive  system ; 
but,  as  a  rule,  the  greater  part  of  the  meat  given  dogs 
should  be  cooked,  for  reasons  previously  given  (parasites). 

The  older  the  puppy,  the  stronger  its  food  should  be  in 
nitrogenous  or  albuminous  material — the  more  meat.  But 
puppies  of  the  larger  breeds  usually  require  more  meat 
from  the  first. 

After  six  or  eight  months,  or  when  the  puppy  has  got 
its  second  teeth,  it  may  be  fed,  like  older  dogs,  on  table 
scraps ;  in  fact,  after  this  period  the  feeding  may  be  much 
as  in  mature  dogs. 

How  often  should  a  puppy  be  fed  ?  Since  its  needs 
are  so  great  and  digestion  feeble,  a  young  puppy  must 
get  its  meals  often.  It  is  surely  better  to  give  food  more 
frequently,  than  to  feed  so  seldom  that  the  puppy  must  eat 
to  distention  to  satisfy  his  appetite. 

For  puppies  under  three  months,  five  or  six  times  a 
day  is  not  too  often,  the  last  meal  being  given  late  at 
night  and  the  first  early  in  the  morning. 

For  those  from  three  to  six  months,  four  times  daily 
may  suffice,  and  from  six  to  eight  months  three  times ; 
after  that  two  good  meals  will  answer.  It  is  best  to  feed 
each  puppy  separately. 

OTHER    MANAGEMENT    OF    PUPPIES. 

If  we  could  only  imitate  Nature's  ways,  we  should  be 
eminently  successful.  "We  find  that  the  carnivora,  the  dog 


OTHER  MANAGEMENT  OP  PUPPIES.  159 

tribe  included,  bring  forth  their  young  in  secluded  places, 
as  caves,  holes  in  the  earth,  burrows,  etc. 

As  soon  as  the  whelps  are  old  enough  to  move  about, 
their  surroundings  are  favorable  for  cleanliness  and  exer- 
cise, while  they  can  readily  resort  to  their  natural  shelter 
in  case  of  storms  or  other  stress  of  circumstances,  and  for 
undisturbed  repose. 

What  better  grooming  for  the  skin  than  that  fur- 
nished by  fresh  earth,  grass,  forest  brush,  dry  leaves,  etc.  ? 
Earth  is  a  perfect  deodorizer,  if  not  an  actual  disinfect- 
ant ;  it  furnishes  a  means  of  removing  dirt  and  vermin ; 
and  tends  to  produce  those  ingoing  nervous  influences 
which  have,  as  already  pointed  out,  such  a  salutary  influ- 
ence. 

Now,  if  we  but  imitate  these  conditions,  our  puppies 
will  be  fairly  healthy,  notwithstanding  that  in  breeding 
and  in  many  features  of  the  environment  we  must  depart 
from  Nature  in  keeping  pure-bred  dogs  around  human 
habitations. 

Puppies,  when  well,  always  play  much — the  best  exer- 
cise they  can  get.  What  is  wanted,  then,  is  a  shelter  to 
which  they  can  resort  for  quiet  and  shade  during  the  day ; 
a  kennel  free  from  draughts  or  other  source  of  danger  at 
night,  with  free  ventilation  and  cleanliness. 

Puppies  can  not  develop  sound  bodies,  especially  good 
legs  and  feet,  without  liberty  to  run ;  hence  they  should 
have  a  yard,  if  not  a  field  ;  they  must  be  free  to  scrape  up 
and  burrow  in  earth,  and  this  should  be  encouraged ;  their 
stools  must  be  constantly  removed  ;  and  they  should  have 
access  to  good,  cool  water.  A  grass  run  is  very  desirable, 
but  not  as  the  sole  resort,  for  it  is  very  difficult  to  keep  it 


THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

clear  of  excrement.  A  heap  of  coal  ashes,  in  the  absence 
of  opportunity  to  burrow  in  earth,  is  useful. 

"When  four  or  five  months  old  the  puppies  may  be 
taken  out  together  for  a  little  scamper.  This  they  will 
greatly  enjoy,  and  the  change  will  do  them  good.  They 
should  not  at  this  period  accompany  older  dogs,  nor  be 
allowed  to  meet  many  strange  dogs,  lest  they  catch  dis- 
temper. 

Washing  puppies  is  to  be  avoided,  if  possible,  till  they 
are  six  months  old,  and  then  as  seldom  as  may  be.  Young 
puppies  feel  the  shock,  and  are  apt  to  catch  cold,  suffer  in 
their  digestion,  etc.  Nevertheless,  washing  is  preferable 
to  that  filthiness  which  favors  all  sorts  of  parasites  and 
renders  the  creature's  life  a  burden.  With  the  precautions 
we  have  indicated  as  to  cleansing  after  feeding,  and  with 
freedom  and  encouragement  to  burrow,  washing  will 
seldom  be  required.  But  if  it  must  be  undertaken,  let  it 
be  done  quickly  and  well. 

The  amount  and  kind  of  grooming  young  puppies  will 
need  must  vary  very  much  with  the  surroundings ;  after 
six  months  they  will  require  more  attention  in  this  respect. 

When  a  puppy  is  kept  in  a  small  yard  special  attention 
must  be  paid  to  his  dejections.  A  box  of  earth,  ashes,  or 
saw-dust,  from  which  a  little  material  may  be  taken  to 
cover  the  offensive  matter  at  once,  will  be  indispensable, 
even  if  it  is  removed  as  soon  as  it  should  be. 

Any  arrangements  which  do  not  permit — in  fact,  do  not 
favor — the  puppies  retiring  to  where  they  can  get  undis- 
turbed sleep  after  eating  or  when  tired  with  play  are  very 
defective.  Rest  is  as  absolutely  demanded  as  exercise. 

Young  dogs  of  different  breeds,  from  their  dissimilar 


EXERCISE  AND  TRAINING  OF  PUPPIES. 

habits  and  tendencies,  do  not  usually  do  well  together, 
one  being  generally  a  source  of  annoyance  or  worry  to 
the  other,  sometimes  of  positive  danger  from  fighting. 
All  problems  are  greatly  complicated  when  several  breeds 
are  kept  in  the  one  kennel,  even  if  separated.  But  if 
study  is  the  main  object,  there  is  more  to  learn  for  him 
who  has  the  eye  to  see. 

EXERCISE    AND    TRAINING    OP    PUPPIES. 

These  subjects  are  so  closely  associated  in  practice  that 
they  may  be  treated  together  to  some  extent.  We  have 
already  tried  to  show  that  the  best  exercise  for  a  dog  is 
that  which  fits  him  for  his  work,  and  that  in  the  very 
nature  of  the  case  this  must  be  taken  in  connection  with 
that  work.  Such  is  Nature's  method.  The  young  car- 
nivora  soon  take  part  in  catching,  etc.,  the  maimed  ani- 
mals the  parents  bring  home. 

An  analysis  of  our  own  psychic  life,  complex  as  much 
of  it  is,  compared  with  that  of  the  dog,  shows  that  a  great 
part  of  our  mental  processes  are  not  concerned  with  al>- 
stractions  and  generalizations  of  a  very  high  order,  but 
with  actual  concrete  perceptions  and  conceptions ;  that  we 
think  in  pictures  rather  than  words;  that  our  thoughts 
are  the  result  of  past  associations ;  that  the  machinery  of 
the  mind  or  brain  is  so  connected  that  when  one  part  is 
moved,  so  to  speak,  a  whole  series  of  connections  are  es- 
tablished. Hence  the  psychic  life  of  every  creature  must 
be  related  essentially  to  its  past  experiences. 

If  this  be  true — and  it  can  not  be  doubted — we  think, 
then,  the  puppy's  intelligence,  like  our  own,  begins  to 
develop,  and  continues  to  do  so  exactly  in  relation  to  its 


162  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

environment.  We  can  make  that  environment  pretty 
much  what  we  will ;  and  with  the  dog,  his  master  from  the 
first,  and  always,  is  the  principal  factor. 

Two  extreme  views  have  for  a  long  period  been  enter- 
tained in  regard  to  the  training  of  the  dog :  the  one 
that  he  is  a  wild,  wayward  creature  to  be  "  broken,"  the 
other  that  he  needs  no  special  correction  if  properly  taught 
from  the  first.  Neither  is  quite  correct. 

A  puppy  full  of  life  tends  to  do  exactly  as  his  im- 
pulses urge  him,  till  the  highest  motive  power,  a  desire 
to  please  his  master,  is  substituted.  It  follows  that  a 
puppy  can  not  be  too  soon  led  to  understand  that  he  has 
a  master — kind,  honest,  intelligent,  and  firm.  He  must 
be  consistent  with  his  puppy.  All  caprice  is  fatal;  it 
utterly  confuses  and  demoralizes  the  dog. 

Remembering,  as  we  indicated  long  ago,  that  the  dog 
is  very  like  ourselves,  we  can  suggest  a  few  principles 
for  training  that  we  think  will  meet  the  test  of  experi- 
ence. The  puppy  at  one  period  is  like  a  young  infant, 
later  like  a  two-year-old  child,  and  at  the  best  most  dogs 
never  get  beyond  the  intelligence  of  a  young  child  in 
most  respects,  though  in  some  qualities  the  wisest  man  is 
far  behind  the  dog. 

For  practical  purposes  the  puppy  may  be  treated  as  an 
infant,  but  as  a  rapidly  developing  one.  He  gets  his  in- 
formation through  his  senses,  and  his  training  must  be 
related  to  this,  and  to  the  fact  that  he  is  a  creature  with 
strong  impulses  but  of  little  self-control. 

It  is  a  well-established  law  of  the  nervous  system, 
that  what  has  happened  once  is  likely  to  occur  again 
tinder  the  same  circumstances ;  hence  in  the  training  of 


EXERCISE  AND  TRAINING  OF  PUPPIES.  163 

puppies  first  experiences  are  of  much  importance,  and  all 
the  arrangements  of  the  kennel,  and  in  fact  the  whole  en- 
vironment, should  be  shaped  in  relation  to  this  principle. 

The  puppy  should  not  be  allowed  to  get  into  habits 
which  will  later  need  correction.  Let  him  from  the  first 
be  encouraged  in  cleanliness,  self-respect,  love  of  esteem, 
respect  for  the  rights  of  other  puppies  his  fellows,  etc. 

Very  early  begin  to  instill  into  him  lessons  of  restraint, 
but  only  for  the  briefest  periods,  for  the  creature  is  as 
yet  weak  in  brain  and  will  power,  though  strong  in  in- 
stincts and  impulses. 

The  master  or  trainer  must  not  be  associated  in  his 
mind  with  unpleasantness,  but  with  the  reverse.  Do  not, 
therefore,  punish  him,  but  let  him  learn  almost  uncon- 
sciously that  certain  actions  and  certain  pleasures  are  con- 
nected. 

He  should  soon  be  taught  his  name,  should  always 
come  when  called,  but  not  be  summoned  too  often,  espe- 
cially if  playing.  It  is  well  to  carry  a  bit  of  biscuit, 
cheese,  etc.,  to  reward  him  for  coming  at  first.  Later  a 
pat  of  approbation  will  suffice. 

The  trainer  should  never  undertake  what  he  is  not 
reasonably  sure  of  accomplishing ;  and  the  first  aim  should 
always  be  to  secure  the  dog's  attention  and  interest  and  to 
make  the  accomplishment  pleasant.  But  he  must  know 
what  is  wanted,  and  if  he  can  not  comprehend  this,  the 
lesson  is  unsuitable  at  this  period.  He  must,  however, 
obey  if  he  understands ;  gentle  compulsion,  when  once  the 
purpose  is  understood,  may  be  exercised — e.  g.,  if  he  will 
not  come  when  he  is  called,  he  must  not  be  whipped,  as 
that  will  make  the  whole  set  of  associations  unpleasant, 


THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

but  he  must  be  gently  dragged  by  the  back  of  the  neck  or 
bodily  carried  to  where  the  trainer  stood  when  the  com- 
mand was  given  ;  he  should  be  very  gently  reprimanded, 
then  forgiven  and  made  to  feel  that  he  is  forgiven,  and  the 
lesson  repeated,  always  rewarding  obedience  in  some  way. 

Obedience  to  what  is  right  pleasant,  disobedience  un- 
pleasant, is  the  rule  for  us  all,  dogs  and  men.  On  these 
principles  yard  and  house  training  is  simple  with  well-bred 
dogs.  They  mean  to  please  if  they  can.  Make  obedience 
and  right-doing  understood,  possible,  and  pleasing,  and  it 
will  be  preferred,  especially  if  the  wrong-doing  is  followed 
by  the  reverse  experiences. 

Dogs  are  naturally  cleanly,  and  will  not  foul  their  ken- 
nels if  they  can  betake  themselves  to  a  more  suitable  place ; 
but  this  latter  must  sometimes  be  pointed  out  to  puppies. 
An  animal  confined  must  of  necessity  evacuate  his  bladder 
and  bowels,  but  a  dog  that  has  from  his  puppyhood  had  a 
chance  to  be  cleanly  will  often  suffer  much  before  fouling 
his  dwelling-place.  The  author  has  known  a  puppy  at  the 
point  of  death  drag  himself  from  his  sleeping-box  to  evacu- 
ate his  bowels. 

Dogs  are  not  filthy  in  their  habits,  but  some  people 
who  keep  them  are,  and  others  do  not  understand  what  is 
required  to  enable  a  dog  to  follow  his  instincts  of  cleanli- 
ness. Where  a  dog  has  once  been  to  respond  to  Nature's 
call,  he  tends  to  visit  again,  and  this  is  a  guide  to  enable 
us  to  avail  ourselves  of  natural  instinct  to  maintain  cleanly 
surroundings.  The  same  general  principles  apply  when 
dogs  are  taken  afield  to  be  worked  on  some  sort  of  game. 
At  first  the  puppy  may  run  toward  almost  every  form  of 
life  he  sees.  This  is  natural,  and  he  would  not  be  worth 


EXERCISE  AND  TRAINING  OF  PUPPIES.  165 

keeping  if  lie  did  not  show  some  such  tendency  to  in- 
vestigate the  world  about  him. 

But  he  must  be  restrained  gradually.  He  must  asso- 
ciate certain  acts  with  the  approval  and  others  with  the 
disapproval  of  him  he  respects,  loves,  and  would  delight 
to  please  if  he  only  knew  how. 

But  such  is  the  strength  of  the  impulses  of  some  pup- 
pies— now,  we  will  suppose,  six  or  eight  months  old — that 
they  find  it  very  difficult  to  restrain  themselves.  In  such 
case  we  must  lessen  the  stimulus  or  source  of  excitement 
rather  than  resort  at  once  to  the  application  of  the  princi- 
ple of  making  the  act  unpleasant,  as  by  the  use  of  a  spiked 
collar  or  check-line. 

These  may  later  be  useful  in  a  modified  form,  but  not 
at  first;  indeed,  such  methods  are  usually  quite  unneces- 
sary if  a  proper  course  be  pursued.  To  illustrate :  Sup- 
pose that  a  brace  of  setter  puppies  eight  months  old  be 
taken  to  some  wood  where  there  is  but  little  game.  If 
they  tend  to  run  wild  without  any  reference  to  the  where- 
abouts of  the  trainer,  and  disregard  his  calls  or  his  whistle, 
it  surely  would  not  be  wise  to  whip  those  puppies  soundly 
at  once,  or  attach  a  spiked  collar  or  a  check-line.  To  do 
so  would  probably  confuse  them,  humiliate  them,  and  re- 
tard their  development  in  every  way.  Now,  if  the  trainer 
secrete  himself  for  a  little  while,  the  puppies  will  probably 
get  frightened  a  little,  feeling  that  they  are  lost,  and  will 
after  this  be  more  cautious  how  widely  they  range.  When 
they  do  come  in  they  may  be  scolded,  but  not  whipped  at 
this  stage. 

All  dogs  should  be  taught  to  come  in  to  whistle  and  to 
"  down  charge,"  or  to  drop  at  some  word  of  command  or 


THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

at  the  upraising  of  the  hand.  This  applies  to  all  breeds, 
though  more  especially  to  dogs  used  in  shooting.  A  dog 
in  the  field  should  also  be  guided  by  the  motions  of  his 
trainer's  hand.  In  learning  this,  the  voice,  the  whistle, 
and  often  a  long  cord  will  be  useful. 

But  the  author  wishes  to  avoid  giving  the  impression 
that  there  is  only  one  way  of  accomplishing  these  things, 
as  many  previous  writers  seem  to  have  thought,  with  the 
result  that  many  who  have  attempted  to  follow  their  rigid 
rules  have  disgusted  themselves  and  spoiled  their  dogs. 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  all  lessons  require  frequent 
repetition.  "  Little  and  often "  applies  to  training  as  a 
cardinal  principle. 

No  one  should  undertake  the  training  of  a  dog  to  work 
on  game  who  is  not  possessed  of  patience  and  good  temper. 
Lacking  these,  the  puppy  is  apt  to  cause  the  trainer  great 
worry  and  to  get  little  good  from  him,  if  he  be  not  actually 
spoiled.  It  is,  in  fact,  better  to  go  afield  expecting  that 
the  puppy  will  do  nothing  as  desired  at  first ;  then  one  is 
prepared  for  the  worst,  and  may  soon  lay  his  plans  to  ac- 
complish what  he  aims  at,  which  must  always  be  done  in 
relation  both  to  the  dog  and  the  circumstances. 

But  with  dogs  example  is  strong  for  good  or  evil.  A 
steady,  old,  trained  dog  is  invaluable,  while  a  disobedient, 
headstrong  one  will  most  assuredly  ruin  the  puppy.  But 
it  is  clearly  foolish  to  expect  a  puppy  under  a  certain  age 
to  work  on  game  with  an  older  dog — indeed,  to  work  on 
game  at  all — though  ranging,  obeying  the  whistle,  dropping, 
etc.,  should  all  be  taught  before  the  puppy  is  introduced 
to  game.  He  must  learn  restraint  and  obedience,  though 
it  must  be  confessed  that  a  day's  work  on  actual  game 


EXERCISE  AND  TRAINING  OF  PUPPIES.  167 

often  quite  transforms  some  puppies.  But,  as  a  rule,  ten 
or  twelve  months  will  be  quite  soon  enough  to  introduce 
a  puppy  to  actual  work. 

Retrieving  may  be  taught  at  home,  using  a  soft  ball 
of  yarn,  etc.;  and  if  the  puppy  is  inclined  to  bite  hard  on 
this,  a  few  wires  may  be  pushed  through  it.  He  must 
always  at  first  be  rewarded,  when  he  brings  the  ball  when 
thrown,  with  a  little  meat,  cheese,  etc.  The  words  "  fetch," 
"  seek,"  etc.,  may  be  employed.  Soon  he  will  understand, 
and  seek  when  no  ball  is  thrown.  To  get  him  to  "seek 
dead,"  some  article  may  be  hidden,  and  at  first  some  meat, 
etc.,  must  be  employed,  and  the  dog  assisted  to  find  it. 
Later  a  real  bird  may  be  used,  or  a  wing.  The  same  word 
of  command  should  always  be  used.  If  the  puppy  will 
not  bring  the  article — will  not  retrieve — take  him  to  the 
spot  and  place  it  in  his  mouth,  holding  it  there  and  oblig- 
ing him  to  carry  it  and  finally  deliver  it  at  command; 
reward  him,  and  then  try  him  again. 

Some  dogs  take  to  retrieving  naturally,  requiring  no 
training,  while  it  is  almost  impossible  to  get  others,  often 
of  high  intelligence,  to  learn  this  at  all. 

Most  puppies  need  a  good  deal  of  attention  before  they 
are  perfectly  steady  on  point,  and  to  wing  and  shot,  as 
their  natural  tendency  is  to  secure  the  game  when  they 
have  found  it.  How  best  to  overcome  this  it  is  not  always 
easy  to  decide.  The  dog  must  be  encouraged  to  remain 
steady  while  his  trainer  moves  up.  Often  the  assistance  of 
a  second  person  to  flush  the  bird  will  be  desirable,  while 
the  dog  is  approached  and  encouraged  but  not  allowed  to 
rush  on.  In  this  case  a  check-cord  may  be  useful — to  be 
employed  as  little  as  possible.  The  example  of  a  reliable 


163  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

old  dog  is  invaluable.  Some  form  of  check  that  will  make 
the  dog  defeat  or  punish  himself  is  preferable  to  direct 
administration  of  punishment  by  the  trainer. 

Gun-shyness  is  but  an  exaggerated  form  of  fear  of 
unusual  noises,  and  must  be  treated  accordingly.  Let  the 
dog  be  gradually  introduced  to  louder  and  louder  noises, 
never  being  allowed  to  escape,  but  made  to  see  that  no 
harm  is  meant  him  or  can  happen  to  him.  As  to  whether 
it  is  worth  while  to  attempt  to  cure  the  worst  cases  will 
depend  much  on  other  circumstances,  such  as  the  dog's 
breeding,  general  intelligence,  "nose,"  etc.  It  may  or 
may  not  be  inherited. 

The  author,  in  conversation  with  a  very  successful 
trainer  of  horses,  once  asked :  "  Can  you  teach  any  horse 
these  things ? "  "I  can  do  so,  but  it  would  not  in  many 
cases  be  worth  while,"  was  the  reply.  The  same  may  be 
said  of  dogs :  some  of  them  are  not  adapted  for  certain 
kinds  of  work  and  acquirements  to  a  sufficient  degree,  to 
make  it  worth  while  to  persevere  in  teaching  them ;  just 
as  some  boys  would  never  become  expert  enough  at  certain 
vocations  to  warrant  their  pursuit.  But  before  abandoning 
a  well-bred  specimen  that  seems  to  possess  courage,  "  go," 
and  fair  general  intelligence,  it  might  be  well  to  get  the 
advice  of  some  second  person  of  much  experience.  Many 
dogs,  unpromising  at  first,  have  become  a  great  success 
afterward.  The  ability  to  read  dogs  very  thoroughly  is 
given  to  but  few  men,  and  these,  provided  they  have 
patience,  good  temper,  and  perseverance,  must  of  course 
make  the  best  trainers. 

Though  we  have  spoken  chiefly  of  the  training  of 
hunting  dogs,  it  is  simply  because  that  is  usually  more 


EXERCISE  AND  TRAINING  OF  PUPPIES.  169 

elaborate.  All  training  is  based  on  essentially  the  same 
principles,  for  the  mind  of  the  trainer  and  that  of  the 
dog  are  relative  constants,  while  the  circumstances  are  the 
variables. 

In  every  instance  the  dog,  from  the  earliest  period, 
must  know  the  trainer  as  his  master,  as  one  who  knows 
his  own  mind  and  is  always  to  be  obeyed.  But,  in  order 
to  insure  this,  the  principles  we  have  already  endeavored 
to  enforce  must  be  faithfully  and  intelligently  applied ; 
and  it  is  very  important,  we  repeat,  that  nothing  be  under- 
taken that  can  not  be  performed,  and  every  advance  in 
instruction  approached  by  slight  gradation  and  frequent 
repetition.  All  sound  training  must  constantly  keep  in 
mind  the  individuality  of  the  animal.  The  assumption 
that  all  dogs  should  be  treated  just  alike,  is  as  erroneous 
as  that  all  stomachs  may  have  the  same  diet. 

A  dog  kept  constantly  in  a  kennel  can  never  attain  his 
highest  psychical  development ;  and  it  is  the  author's  expe- 
rience that  it  does  every  dog  good  to  bring  him  into  the 
house  occasionally  for  short  periods  and  allow  him  to 
mingle  with  the  family.  It  raises  the  animal  in  his  own 
estimation,  and  attaches  him  to  his  master,  for  whom  he 
will  have  increased  respect. 

The  exercise  of  puppies  is,  of  course,  of  more  impor- 
tance than  that  of  grown  dogs,  as  not  only  their  health  but 
their  development  is  to  be  considered.  Bearing  in  mind 
their  eagerness,  their  inexperience,  the  ease  with  which 
they  are  exhausted,  the  immature  character  of  their  tis- 
sues, and  their  general  instability  of  nature,  certain  pre- 
cautions are  very  necessary. 

It  has  been  already  pointed  out  that  the  object  of  exer- 


1YO  THE  DOG  IN  HEALTH. 

cise  is  the  best  development  of  the  dog,  physical  and 
psychical ;  that  it  should  be  in  great  part  in  reference  to 
the  work — in  fact,  in  connection,  if  possible,  with  the 
work — the  animal  is  intended  to  perform. 

This  is  not  always  possible.  A  setter  puppy  can  not 
always  be  taken  to  the  woods,  etc.  In  such  case,  the  near- 
est approach  to  the  ideal  must  be  striven  after.  He  can 
be  taken  to  fields,  along  country  roads,  etc.  It  is  desira- 
ble that  all  dogs  be  taught  to  lead  on  chain  without  strain- 
ing or  worry,  and  to  walk  "  at  heel."  To  accomplish  this 
latter  a  stick  with  a  spring  snap  attached  to  one  end,  that 
can  be  put  through  a  ring  in  the  collar,  will  serve  to  hold 
the  dog  in  the  desired  position,  always  accompanying  the 
action  with  the  word  "  heel,"  so  that  soon  this  apparatus 
may  be  dispensed  with. 

This  should  not  be  undertaken  too  soon  with  puppies, 
or  their  natural  spirit  will  be  too  much  curbed.  It  is 
more  than  desirable  to  keep  very  young  puppies  out  of 
temptation  to  run  wild,  where  they  can  do  mischief,  while 
giving  exercise. 

It  is  far  more  important  in  a  puppy  than  in  a  grown 
dog  to  avoid  exhaustion ;  nor  should  the  young  dog  be 
allowed  to  race  at  the  top  of  his  speed  till  he  is  tired  and 
then  drop  and  continue  to  lie  on  the  cool  earth,  for  he  may 
get  one  of  those  chills  so  favorable  to  the  onset  of  distem- 
per, pneumonia,  or  some  less  serious  form  of  disturbance. 

Eacing  over  hilly  and  rough  country  without  previous 
preparation,  especially  if  long  continued,  is  very  apt  to 
strain  the  muscles  and  ligaments,  and  is  no  doubt  responsi- 
ble for  many  of  the  imperfections  of  the  legs  and  feet  that 
we  see  in  hunting-dogs.  Especially  is  this  likely  to  follow 


THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  DOG.  1ft 

if  the  dog  is  not  well  groomed  and  rubbed  after  coming 
in,  the  legs  included. 

Big  dogs,  such  as  St.  Bernards,  mastiffs,  etc.,  are  not 
adapted  to  the  same  sort  of  exercise  as  setters,  terriers,  and 
smaller  dogs ;  but  it  is  astonishing  how  active  and  fast  such 
dogs  become  when  judiciously  exercised,  and  now  and 
then,  in  a  field  not  too  large,  allowed  to  romp  with  dogs 
of  some  more  active  breed  for  a  short  time  and  after  pre- 
liminary training. 

"We  have  already  said  that  no  dog  should  be  kept  con- 
stantly on  chain.  The  tugging  at  a  chain  will  not  improve 
the  form  of  any  dog,  and  will  most  certainly  deform  a 
puppy ;  in  fact,  to  keep  a  dog  on  chain  is  to  subject  him 
to  entirely  wrong  conditions,  all  his  natural  instincts  being 
checked  and  his  nature  perverted. 

Many  accidents  also  are  liable  to  happen,  such  as  hang- 
ing, etc.  In  nearly  every  instance  chaining  up  could  easily 
be  avoided. 

THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE  DOGj  DETERMINATION 

OF  AGE. 

All  mammals  are  born  in  a  more  or  less  undeveloped 
condition,  and  to  this  the  dog  is  no  exception.  The  newly 
born  puppy  is  capable  of  but  little  locomotion ;  and  though 
it  can  both  taste  and  smell,  the  eyes  and  ears  are  not  yet 
complete  in  development,  the  external  ears  being  closed 
and  the  eyelids  not  yet  separated,  so  that  the  creature  is 
both  deaf  and  blind.  In  ten  or  twelve  days  these  organs 
are  functional  and  from  that  time  the  puppy's  advance  is 
rapid.  He  soon  gets  control  of  his  muscles,  and  uses  his 
senses  and  locomotive  powers  to  investigate  the  world 


172  THE  DOG  *$  HEALTH. 

about  him  and  prepare  for  an  independent  existence. 
Every  organ  of  the  body  becomes  by  degrees  more  active, 
and  puppy  coat,  carriage,  form,  etc.,  are  gradually  ex- 
changed for  those  characteristic  of  the  adult  of  the  breed 
to  which  he  belongs. 

Those  familiar  with  a  breed  by  raising  puppies  can, 
with  considerable  accuracy,  estimate  the  age  of  a  puppy 
by  its  general  appearance  and  demeanor,  as  they  can  also 
of  an  "  old  dog,"  though  in  the  latter  case  with  much  less 
certainty. 

It  is  easier  to  decide  the  age  of  a  very  young  puppy 
than  of  a  dog  of  any  other  age,  while  it  is  not  possible  to 
determine  with  any  degree  of  certainty  the  age  of  a  well- 
reared  dog  between  his  first  and  his  fourth  or  fifth  year. 
The  same  reliance  can  not  be  placed  on  the  teeth  as  in 
the  case  of  the  herbivora,  especially  the  horse,  in  which 
their  rate  of  wear  is  fairly  constant  and  their  appearance 
for  each  year  of  life  up  to  old  age  characteristic.  The 
fact  is,  the  dog  scarcely  uses  his  teeth  to  masticate  food 
at  all,  unless  it  be  in  gnawing  bones.  But  considerable 
dependence  may  be  placed  on  the  teeth  to  indicate  age 
within  the  first  year  of  the  dog's  life. 

It  will  be  borne  in  mind  that  a  tooth  consists  of  a  part 
imbedded  in  the  gum  and  jaw,  the  root  or  fang,  and  of  an 
exposed  portion,  or  crown.  The  latter  is  capped  by  an  ex- 
tremely hard  substance — enamel — beneath  which  is  the 
"  ivory  "  or  dentine,  made  up  of  fine  tubules  into  which 
the  substance  of  the  pulp  extends.  The  tooth  is  supplied 
with  blood-vessels  and  nerves  through  the  pulp,  which  fills 
the  hollow  interior  of  its  root  or  roots,  and  corresponds  to 
the  marrow  of  bones  in  some  degree.  (Fig.  9.) 


DETERMINATION  OF  AGE. 


173 


The  teeth  of  the  dog,  as  in  other  carnivora,  are  adapted 
for  seizing,  holding,  tearing,  and  cutting,  rather  than  grind- 
ing. 


FIG.  9.— TOOTH  OF  CAT  IN  SITU  (WALDEYER). 

2,  enamel ;  2,  dentine ;  3,  cement ;  4,  periosteum  of  alveolar  cavity ;  5,  bone  of 
jaw  ;  6,  pulp  cavity. 

The  first  or  milk-teeth  may  soon  after  birth  be  felt 
within  the  gums  of  the  puppy,  and  the  period  of  their 


174  THE  DOG  IN   HEALTH. 

eruption  is  fairly  constant.  The  larger  breeds  and  bitches 
get  teeth  earlier  by  a  little  than  smaller  breeds  and  dogs. 
It  may  be  said  that,  in  general,  the  front  teeth  or  incisors 
appear  before  the  back  teeth  or  molars,  though  the  tooth 
actually  erupted  first  is  usually  the  lower  middle  molar, 
and  at  about  the  eighteenth  to  the  twenty-second  day. 
Then  follow,  after  one  to  two  days'  interval,  the  incisors 
— i.  e.,  "  nippers,"  "  intermediates,"  and  "  corner  teeth  " — 


Fia.  10.— GENERAL  AND  LATERAL  VIEW  OP  THE  DOG'S  TEETH  (CHAUVEAU). 

in  the  order  indicated,  though  this  is  not  constant;  and 
the  interval  between  their  appearance  may  be  inappre- 
ciable, so  that  they  often  seem  to  erupt  at  once.  At  about 
the  same  time  the  canines  (tusks)  appear.  The  first  and 
third  molars  are  cut  about  the  fourth  week,  and  in  a 
couple  of  days  later  the  middle  upper  molar  pushes  its 
way  through ;  next  comes  the  last  upper  molar,  and  then 
the  first  upper  molar,  so  that  Jy  the  fifth  week  the  whole 
of  the  milk-teeth  may  be  through  the  gums. 


DETERMINATION  OF  AGE.  175 

The  temporary  teeth  are  twenty-eight  in  number — six 
incisors,  two  canines,  and  six  molars  in  each  jaw. 

They  are  softer,  wider  apart  and  get  more  so  with  the 
growth  of  the  jaw,  smaller  and  more  pointed,  than  those 
that  will  succeed  them.  The  incisors  of  the  dog  are  very 
characteristic,  owing  to  their  cusps  or  points,  usually  three 
in  number. 

The  shedding  of  the  teeth  begins  at  about  the  four- 
teenth to  the  sixteenth  week ;  but  in  this  case  the  central 
incisors  are  the  first  to  be  renewed,  and  the  upper  molars 


FIG.  11.— ANTERIOR  VIEW  OF  THE  INCISORS  AND  CANINE  TEETH  IN  A  YEAR-OLD  Doa 

(CHAUVEAU). 

are  cut  before  the  lower.  Usually  the  canines  appear  soon 
after,  but  they  are  more  frequently  delayed  than  the  other 
teeth.  However,  there  is  a  good  deal  of  difference,  often 
in  even  the  same  litter,  as  to  the  exact  age  at  which  the 
renewal  begins,  the  teeth  are  all  shed,  and  the  permanent 
set  is  completed.  Usually  the  dentition  is  complete  before 
the  fifth  month,  but  in  the  smaller  breeds  the  completion 
of  the  process  may  be  delayed  till  the  sixth  or  eighth 
month. 

There  is  no  increase  in  the  number  of  incisors  or 
canines,  but  the  molars  in  the  second  set  are  twelve  in  the 
upper  jaw  (occasionally  fourteen)  and  fourteen  in  the 

lower,  making  the  total  number  of  teeth  forty-two,  as  in- 
13 


THE  BOG  IN  HEALTH. 

dicated  in  the  following  tabular  comparison  with  the  den- 
tition of  man  : 


Incisors.        Canines.       Premolars.       Molars. 
3_3  i_l  4—4 


3=3  1=1  4=4 

2—2  1—1  2—2  3—  3 

5=8  2=2 


The  usual  order  of  eruption  is  :  Fourth,  above  ;  fifth, 
above ;  fifth,  below,  soon  followed  by  the  sixth  and  sev- 
enth ;  three  anterior  above ;  about  a  week  later  the  three 
anterior  are  replaced  below.  The  four  first  molars  on 
each  side  are  often  termed  premolars. 

From  the  nature  of  the  case,  it  is  impossible  to  deter- 
mine the  age  of  a  dog  by  his  teeth  after  the  permanent  set 
is  complete,  as  their  condition  varies  greatly  with  the  sort 
of  wear  to  which  they  are  subjected,  this  depending  on 
the  food,  etc. 

In  a  perfectly  healthy  dog  the  teeth  remain  white 
for  several  years  ;  but  if  there  be  abnormalities  of  the  di- 
gestive juices,  the  teeth  are  apt  to  become  discolored  by 
tartar,  an  accumulation  of  lime-salts,  entangling  foreign 
matters. 

It  is  well  to  give  a  dog,  therefore,  suitable  bones,  hard 
biscuits,  crusts  of  bread,  etc.,  to  clean  the  teeth. 

Dogs  of  most  breeds  are  at  their  best  physically  in 
their  third  year,  though  some  individuals  of  these,  and 
many  in  the  larger  varieties,  continue  to  improve  up  to  the 
fourth  year. 

After  the  sixth  year  a  dog  usually  shows  signs  of  fail- 
ure ;  after  the  eighth  he  is  old,  and  after  the  tenth  year  he 
is,  as  a  rule,  unfit  to  propagate  his  kind  or  engage  in  those 


DETERMINATION  OF  AGE.  177 

pursuits  which  afforded  him  so  much  pleasure  in  earlier 
years.  As  a  rule,  the  smaller  breeds  are  the  longest-lived. 

Dogs,  like  human  beings,  improve  in  judgment  with 
advancing  years,  become  more  staid,  and  prefer  quiet  ob- 
servation to  activity.  Like  men,  too,  they  show  grayness 
about  the  head  and  face,  though,  as  in  the  human  subject, 
this  sometimes  appears  early  and  as  an  hereditary  trait. 

The  age  at  which  a  dog  ceases  to  be  useful  or  to  enjoy 
life  will  depend  largely  on  inherited  stamina,  and  especially 
the  care  he  has  been  given.  The  dog  is  an  animal  in 
which  maturity,  both  physical  and  psychical,  is  speedily 
attained,  decline  rapid,  and  life  short.  His  is  a  brief,  in- 
tense career.  He  lives  much  though  not  long ;  the  tide 
of  his  life  is  rapid  and  full,  but  evanescent. 


1770  GLOSSARY. 


GLOSSAEY. 

THE  author  has  thought  it  well  to  gather  together  in  a 
list  those  terms  in  common  use  among  dog-fanciers,  with 
the  meaning  attached  to  them,  though  a  large  proportion 
of  them  have  been  already  explained  in  the  text  as  they 
occurred.  Such  terms  are  often  used  in  the  reports  of  dog 
shows  published  in  papers  devoted  to  kennel  interests. 

Apple-headed.    Roundness  instead  of  flatness  of  skull ;  a  common 

fault  in  the  toy  black-and-tan  terrier,  etc. 
Babbler.    A  dog  that  gives  tongue  in  hunting  when  he  should  be 

mute. 
Back.    For  illustration  of  the  terms  applied  to  different  parts  of  the 

dog,  see  the  cut,  p.  29. 
Belton.    Applied  to  an  English  setter  with  small,  evenly  distributed 

flecks  of  some  other  color  on  a  white  ground — e.  g.,  black  (blue 

Belton),  lemon  (lemon  Belton),  etc. 

Blaze.    White  extending  up  the  center  of  the  skull,  as  in  a  St.  Ber- 
nard. 

Brisket.    The  lower  and  forward  part  of  the  chest. 
Brash.    The  tail  in  some  breeds  with  long  hair  on  this  part,  as  in  the 

collie. 
Butterfly-nose.    The  end  of  the  nose  not  of  a  uniform  color,  as  black, 

flecked  with  white — always  a  fault. 
Button-ear.    The  lappet  of  the  ear  hanging  down  so  as  to  cover  the 

entrance  to  the  auditory  canal. 
Cat-foot.    The  foot  short  and  round,  as  in  the  cat.    Desired  now  in 

most  breeds. 

Chaps.    The  lips,  especially  the  back  parts. 
Character.    See  p.  26. 
Cheeky.     Unduly  prominent  on  each  side  of  the  skull ;  a  grave  fault 

in  a  terrier. 
Clean.    Free  from  loose  skin,  etc. ;  an  important  point  in  the  neck  of 

most  breeds  of  dogs— e.  g.,  the  pointer,  great  Dane,  the  terriers,  etc. 


GLOSSARY. 

Cobby.  Of  compact  form,  as  in  a  cob-horse;  an  important  point  in 
most  breeds  of  spaniels. 

Condition  (good).  That  physical  and  psychic  state,  arising  from  the 
health  and  vigor  of  the  animal  as  a  whole  and  of  every  part,  and 
reflected  in  the  eye,  coat,  movement,  etc. 

Couplings.  Certain  joints.  A  dog  is  long-coupled  when  he  is  too 
long  between  the  shoulder  and  the  hip-joint ;  or  he  is  too  long  be- 
tween the  couplings,  so  spoiling  due  proportion. 

Cow-hocked.  The  hock-joints  turning  in  toward  each  other,  instead 
of  pointing  straight  back,  and  generally  too  close  together ;  most 
apt  to  occur  in  large  breeds ;  a  grave  fault. 

Crest.     The  upper  ridge  of  the  neck. 

Cropped.     Ears  not  natural,  but  designedly  cut. 

Dew-claws.  Partially  developed  toes  or  claws,  generally  most  pro- 
nounced on  the  hind  leg. 

Dewlap.  The  loose  skin  on  throat  and  neck;  undesirable  in  most 
breeds,  but  called  for  in  the  bloodhound. 

Dish-faced.  The  opposite  of  Roman-nosed — i.  e.,  with  muzzle  higher 
toward  the  end  than  elsewhere.  The  upper  plane  of  the  nose 
should  be  level. 

Docked.    The  tail  shortened  by  cutting,  etc. 

Drop-ear.  The  lappet  falling  to  the  side  of  the  face ;  the  opposite  of 
prick-ear. 

Dudley-nose.    Flesh-colored. 

Elbow.  "  Out  at  elbow  " — i.  e.,  with  the  elbow  inclining  to  the  outer 
side,  and  not  pointing  straight  back,  as  it  should. 

Faking.  Attempting  to  improve  the  animal  by  illegitimate  means,  as 
dyeing,  clipping,  singeing,  etc. 

Feather.  The  long  hair  on  the  back  of  the  legs,  on  the  tail,  etc.,  as  in 
setters. 

Fiddle-headed.  Long  and  wolfish,  rather  than  massive;  a  fatal  de- 
fect in  such  a  dog  as  the  mastiff. 

Flag.    The  tail,  especially  in  setters. 

Flat-footed.    The  opposite  of  well  knuckled  up. 

Flews.    The  hanging  lips ;  should  be  abundant  in  the  bloodhound. 

Frill.  The  abundant  long  hair  on  the  under  side  of  the  neck  and 
chest,  as  in  collies. 


1770  GLOSSARY. 

Hare-foot.    Elongated,  as  in  the  hare,  and  opposed  to  cat-foot  (see 

illustration  of  the  Russian  wolfhound,  p.  32). 
Haw.    The  red  "  third  eyelid  "  seen  at  the  inner  angle  of  the  eyelid  in 

the  bloodhound. 

Heat.    In  season,  in  use ;  the  period  of  sexual  excitement  in  the  bitch. 
Hackle-bones.    Tops  of  the  hip-joints. 
Knuckled.    Toes  are  well  knuckled  up  when  they  are  bent  up  so  that 

the  foot  looks  thick  through,  as  seen  in  the  illustration  of  the  grey- 
hound, p.  10. 

Leather.    The  lappet  of  the  ear. 
I^S&y-    Too  long  in  the  leg. 
Level.    Teeth  level — i.  e.,  the  teeth  of  both  jaws  meeting  evenly  in 

front. 
Lippy.    Lips  too  free  when  they  should  be  tight-lipped — e.  g.,  in  the 

bull-terrier,  black-and-tan  terrier,  etc. 
Lumber.    Useless  tissue ;  material  that  is  a  hindrance  to  a  dog  in  his 

work ;  a  serious  defect  in  a  hunting-dog. 
Mane.    The  long  hair  on  the  neck  and  shoulders  of  a  collie. 
Overshot.     The  upper  incisors   projecting   appreciably  beyond  the 

lower. 

Pigeon-toed.    The  toes  turning  in  when  walking. 
Pig-jawed.    Overshot ;  the  upper  jaw  longer  than  the  lower,  so  that 

the  upper  incisor  teeth  project  beyond  the  lower  appreciably. 
Piley.    Applied  to  the  coat  of  some  dogs,  as  that  of  the  Dandie  Din- 

mont ;  a  mixture  of  hard  and  soft  hair. 
Prick-ear.    The  ear  standing  erect,  as  in  the  Pomeranian,  etc.,  but  a 

serious  defect  in  most  breeds. 
Quality.    See  p.  26. 

Roach-back.    The  back  or  loin  arching  considerably,  as  in  the  bull- 
dog ;  much  the  same  as  "  wheel-back." 
Rose-ear.    The  lappet  so  turning  back  that  the  inner  part  is  exposed 

to  view ;  preferred  in  the  bulldog  (see  p.  344). 
Ruff.    The  long  hair  back  of  the  head  in  the  collie. 
Snipey.    Muzzle  not  square  at  the  end,  but  narrowing  gradually. 
Splay-footed.    Same  as  flat-footed. 
Standard.    Written  description  of  a  breed  by  which  it  is  supposed  to 

be  judged, 


GLOSSARY. 

Stern.    The  tail ;  used  of  the  pointer,  etc. 

Stop.     The  indentation  between  the  eyes  at  the  root  of  the  muzzle. 

Throatiness.    Excess  of  loose  skin  on  the  throat  and  neck. 

Tucked-up.  A  "nipping"  or  gathered-up  appearance  at  the  flank. 
Called  for  in  some  varieties,  but  a  defect  in  dogs  of  a  breed  that 
should  be  cobby. 

Tulip-ear.    Half-pricked  ear. 

Turn-up  (and  lay  back).  Applied  to  the  turning  up  and  back  of  the 
muzzle  of  the  bulldog  and  toy  spaniel. 

Type,  typical.    See  p.  26. 

Undershot.  The  lower  incisors  or  front  teeth  projecting  beyond  the 
upper  ones. 

Vermin  (Varmint)  Dog.  One  used  to  hunt  vermin  or  creatures  that 
annoy  mankind,  as  rats,  etc.,  and  so  applicable  especially  to  ter- 
riers. 

Well-turned  Hock.  The  joint  strong,  and  the  bones  at  a  good  angle 
at  this  (ankle)  joint.  The  hocks  in  a  dog  intended  for  great  speed 
for  short  distances,  as  the  greyhound,  should  be  placed  low  or  rela- 
tively 'near  the  ground. 


PAKT     II. 
THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 


GENERAL    PRINCIPLES. 

THE  processes  or  functions  of  the  animal  body  in  a 
natural  condition,  or  in  health,  have  been  considered  in 
one  brief  chapter  (page  10),  which  it  might,  at  this  stage, 
be  worth  the  reader's  while  to  review. 

"We  have  now  to  consider  those  deviations  from  the 
normal  which  constitute  what  is  termed  "disease,"  and, 
before  undertaking  the  discussion  of  specific  forms  of  dis- 
ease, it  may  be  well  to  consider  some  of  the  main  principles 
which  underlie  the  subject. 

Causation. — The  environment  may  be  regarded  as  the 
entire  collection  of  conditions  under  which  an  animal 
lives,  life  being  the  resultant  of  the  action  of  the  environ- 
ment on  the  organism.  If  this  be  unfavorable,  disease 
results,  and  the  unfavorable  factor  is  termed  the  cause  of 
the  disturbance.  Causes  are  divided  into  predisposing  and 
exciting.  Thus,  everything  that  tends  to  lower  the  vitality 
of  the  animal  is  a  predisposing  cause  of  distemper  in  the 
dog,  while  a  specific  germ  is  the  probable  exciting  cause 
of  the  disease. 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES.  179 

Medical  practitioners  (and  we  always  use  that  term  for 
those  that  practice  on  the  lower  animals  as  well  as  on  man) 
use  the  terms  "diagnosis,"  "prognosis,"  "prophylaxis," 
"treatment,"  etc.,  as  applicable  to  every  disease.  Diag- 
nosis is  the  recognition  of  a  certain  group  of  disturbances 
or  symptoms  as  characteristic ;  prognosis  is  simply  another 
term  for  the  outlook,  the  probable  issue;  prophylaxis  is 
the  technical  expression  for  means  of  prevention;  while 
treatment  implies  all  that  is  to  be  done  to  help  the  patient. 

It  can  not  be  too  well  remembered  that  disease  is  not 
an  entity,  something  that  can  exist  apart  from  an  animal. 
Disease  is  nothing  more  than  altered  function,  a  more  or 
less  serious  departure  from  the  natural  condition ;  hence  to 
know  what  is  the  natural  condition  of  an  animal  is  the 
first  requisite  for  the  understanding  of  disease.  We  must 
always  have  a  standard  of  comparison.  Scientific  medicine 
is  impossible  without  scientific  pathology  or  knowledge  of 
altered  function,  and  this  again  is  dependent  on  a  sound 
physiology  or  knowledge  of  the  normal  behavior  of  the 
body.  Treatment  is  based  on  both,  as  well  as  a  knowledge 
of  causation,  for  the  first  principle  of  treatment  is  always 
to  remove,  if  possible,  the  cause,  and,  if  that  is  not  to  be 
done,  to  neutralize  it  as  far  as  we  can. 

Disease  always  implies  altered  nutrition,  or,  to  use  a 
more  modern  and  expressive  term,  metabolism,  or  series 
of  essential  changes  that  make  up  the  life-work  of  a  cell, 
organ,  or  entire  organism. 

It  is  both  convenient  and  necessary,  in  considering  dis- 
ease, to  bear  in  mind  the  alterations  that  take  place  in  each 
of  the  great  systems  of  the  body,  as  well  as  the  general 
expression  or  result  of  this ;  moreover,  nearly  every  dis- 


180  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 


attacks,  or,  as  we  should  more  correctly  say,  results  in 
a  greater  alteration  of  one  system  or  set  of  functions  than 
of  others ;  e.  g.,  there  are  diseases  peculiar  to  the  digestive 
system.  However,  an  equally  important  truth  is  to  be 
recognized,  viz.,  that  no  system  can  suffer  alone ;  the  body 
is  a  whole. 

It  has  been  customary  to  assign  a  very  prominent  place 
to  the  changes  in  the  blood-vascular  (circulatory)  system 
both  in  health  and  disease ;  but  it  must  be  remembered 
that  changes  in  the  blood-vessels  are  dependent  in  most 
cases  directly  on  changes  in  the  nervous  system.  In  all 
diseases,  as  well  as  in  health,  the  nervous  system  is  the 
head  and  director  of  the  processes  of  the  body.  This 
truth  has  for  some  years  been  rather  ignored,  but  is  again 
being  recognized.  There  are  certain  central  cells  in  the 
brain  and  spinal  cord  that  preside  over  all  other  cells  either 
by  direct  government  or  influence  or  indirectly,  and  their 
action  depends  on  the  influences  or  stimuli  that  reach  them 
through  the  afferent  or  sensory  nerves,  while  their  com- 
mands or  governing  influence  are  conveyed  by  the  efferent 
or  outgoing  nerves,  the  whole  constituting  a  sort  of  circuit 
which  we  may  compare,  after  a  fashion,  to  the  circuit  of  a 
battery.  Influences  of  some  kind,  good  or  bad  (irritation), 
are  always  passing  to  and  from  the  central  cells,  and  any 
doctrines  of  pathology  or  therapeutics  (treatment)  that 
overlook  this  are  radically  defective. 

The  preceding  part  of  this  book  has  dealt  with  dogs  as 
they  are  at  the  present  day,  and  has  explained  how  they 
are  to  be  managed  to  produce  their  best  development  and 
to  avoid  disease.  But  do  our  best,  we  can  not  always  so 
perfectly  adapt  the  environment  to  the  animal  that  serious 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES.  181 

disturbances  may  not  arise ;  hence  the  necessity  for  chap- 
ters on  disease,  which  disease  as  a  matter  of  fact  exists 
and  carries  off  many  of  the  finest  specimens  of  the  canine 
race. 

In  a  large  proportion  of  disturbances  inflammation 
and  altered  conditions  play  a  very  prominent  part,  and  to 
these,  in  the  briefest  way,  attention  is  now  invited. 

An  organ  may  contain  an  excess  of  arterial  blood, 
owing  mostly  to  enlargement  of  its  arterioles,  and  is  then 
said  to  be  hypercemic ;  if  the  organ  contain  an  excess  of 
venous  blood,  from  the  latter  not  being  removed  as  rap- 
idly as  usual,  the  part  is  possibly  congested,  or  there  is 
stasis,  though  the  latter  term  is  applied  mostly  to  slowed 
current  in  the  smallest  vessels  or  capillaries. 

When  the  vascular  (circulatory)  and  associated  disturb- 
ances constitute  inflammation,  we  have  dilatation  of  blood- 
vessels, afflux  of  blood,  slowing  of  the  blood-current, 
changes  in  the  walls  of  the  vessels,  in  the  blood  within 
them,  and  in  the  tissues  around  them. 

The  small  blood-vessels  dilate,  the  colorless  corpus- 
cles become  more  actively  amoeboid,  the  vessel-walls  are 
changed,  and,  in  consequence  of  the  relations  between  the 
blood,  the  vessels,  and  the  tissues  being  altered,  the  cor- 
puscles pass  through  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  especially 
the  colorless  ones  (leucocytes),  and  also  a  fluid  derived 
from  the  liquor  sanguinis,  or  plasma. 

The  tissues  around  the  vessels  may  enter  on  a  more 
active  condition  and  produce  immature  cells. 

These  changes  are  accompanied  by  heat,  pain,  redness, 
and  swelling  in  most  instances,  and  may  give  rise  to  con- 
stitutional disturbance  of  varying  degrees  of  severity, 


132  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

indicated  nearly  always  by  more  or  less  elevation  of  tem- 
perature, as  well  as  other  changes. 

Locally  the  exudation  from  the  vessels,  the  cells  that 
pass  from  them,  and  those  that  are  produced  in  the  neigh- 
boring tissues,  may  collect  to  form  an  abscess. 

An  inflammation  may  end  in  resolution  or  return  to 
the  normal  without  formation  of  abscess,  etc.,  or  result 
in  abscess,  gangrene,  or  death  of  parts  when  very  severe, 
softening  and  disintegration,  and  various  forms  of  degen- 
eration; or  poisonous  products  may  be  formed,  taken 
into  the  general  circulation,  and  cause  the  most  serious 
disturbance,  or  even  death. 

ffypercemia  may  lead  to  increased  growth,  or  may  go 
on  to  inflammation  or  return  to  the  normal. 

Venous  congestion  is  very  apt  to  issue  in  some  form  of 
"  exudation  " — i.  e.,  a  fluid  derived  from  the  plasma  of  the 
blood,  allied  to  it  in  general  composition,  but  to  be  re- 
garded as  "  foreign  "  in  a  considerable  degree.  By  press- 
ure and  otherwise  it  may  do  much  harm. 

The  Causes  of  Disease. — Any  sudden  and  great  altera- 
tion in  the  environment  is  apt  to  be  followed  by  such 
inability  on  the  part  of  the  organism  to  adapt  itself  to  it 
that  what  we  term  disease  arises.  Prominent  among  these 
are  extremes  of  temperature,  too  little  and  too  much  food, 
over-exertion,  etc.  Such  are  to  be  classed  among  predis- 
posing causes  in  most  instances. 

Of  late  our  knowledge  of  disease  has  been  greatly 
extended  by  the  study  of  a  world  of  extremely  minute 
vegetable  organisms  by  means  of  powerful  lenses,  artificial 
cultures,  and  other  kinds  of  experiments. 

It  has  been  shown  that  animal  life  may  be  preyed  upon 


GENERAL  PRINCIPLES.  183 

by  such  organisms,  distinct  in  form  and  equally  distinct 
in  functions,  each  variety  of  which  produces  a  train  of 
symptoms  peculiar  to  itself.  Some  of  these  are  powerless 
to  affect  certain  species  of  animals  or  individuals.  It  is 
now  definitely  known  that  the  greatest  scourges  that  afflict 
man  and  his  dumb  companions  are  attributable  to  these  or 
to  similar  lowly-organized  animal  forms. 

And  it  might  be  well  to  point  out  that  most  of  the 
recent  advances  in  human  medicine,  especially  in  that  most 
important  department  of  preventive  medicine,  have  been 
owing  to  experiments  on  the  domestic  animals,  or  on  ani- 
mals living  about  human  habitations. 

These  minute  organisms,  by  feeding  on  the  fluids  and 
tissues  of  the  animal,  cause — as  they  are  present  in  vast 
numbers,  mechanically,  and  more  especially  by  direct  irri- 
tation, and  by  the  poisons  they  produce — an  effect  on  the 
entire  organism  that  may  be  best  termed  poisoning ;  and, 
of  course,  the  greater  the  vigor  of  the  animal,  the  better 
prepared  it  is  to  withstand  such  influences  and  to  eliminate 
both  the  micro-organisms  themselves  and  their  poisons. 
As  yet  our  knowledge  of  combating  these  enemies  is  con- 
fined to  preventive  inoculation  in  the  case  of  a  few  dis- 
eases— all  that  can  be  desired,  perhaps,  if  it  were  established 
for  all  microbic  maladies  and  to  preventing  infection  in 
some  degree.  But  direct  destruction  of  the  germs  when 
once  within  the  body  remains  as  one  of  the  triumphs  to  be 
attained.  Nevertheless,  it  can  not  be  denied  that  the 
progress  of  medicine  within  the  past  decade  has  never 
before  been  in  the  slightest  degree  approached. 


THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 


NORMAL  TEMPERATURE  OP  THE  DOC*. 

The  bodily  temperature  of  any  animal  is  the  result  of 
that  series  of  chemical  processes  inseparably  associated 
with  life.  The  fact  that  the  temperature  remains,  under 
the  most  varying  circumstances,  constant  within  narrow 
limits,  is  one  of  the  most  wonderful  examples  of  adap- 
tation of  complex  vital  mechanism  to  environment  con- 
ceivable. 

Physiologists  now  universally  recognize  two  factors  in 
this  equilibrium  —  heat  production  and  heat  dissipation  or 
loss,  which  in  health  balance  each  other.  Heat  production, 
as  well  as  heat  regulation,  is  controlled  by  the  nervous  sys- 
tem. Heat  is  lost  chiefly  by  the  skin  and  lungs,  though  in 
a  slight  degree  by  the  passage  of  urine  and  faeces. 

The  amount  of  heat  produced  in  any  tissue  or  organ  is 
dependent  on  its  activity.  The  muscles  are  the  greatest 
source  of  heat,  and  among  glands  the  liver.  The  blood  is 
constantly  being  cooled  at  the  surface  of  the  body  and  in 
the  lungs,  and  as  constantly  being  warmed  in  the  deeper 
muscles  and  the  internal  organs.  With  exercise  there  is 
increased  metabolism,  augmented  chemical  activity,  more 
heat  produced,  and  the  necessity  for  greater  dissipation  of 
heat  if  the  balance  is  to  be  maintained  ;  hence  the  dog 
loses  heat  by  his  skin  and  by  his  lungs  to  a  greater  extent, 
breathing  faster  and  with  open  mouth.  Some  animals 
lose  a  great  amount  of  heat  by  sweating  ;  the  dog  not  so 
much  in  this  way. 

It  is  plain  that  whatever  will  throw  these  two  pro- 
cesses out  of  balance  will  give  rise  to  a  departure 
from  the  normal  temperature,  either  in  the  direction  of 


NORMAL  TEMPERATURE  OF  THE  DOG.    185 

lowering  or  elevation  of  the  temperature.  The  latter  is 
the  more  common,  and  is  termed  fever.  Since  fever  im- 
plies elevation  above  a  normal,  we  shall  now  discuss  the 
natural  temperature  of  the  dog  ;  and,  finding  that  this  had 
received  but  little  attention,  the  author  has  investigated 
the  subject  recently  with  the  assistance  of  some  of  his 
students,  and  will  give  a  few  of  the  results. 

It  is  known  that  in  man  and  other  animals  the  tem- 
perature varies  within  limits  in  the  twenty-four  hours. 
The  tabular  statement  on  the  next  page  will  illustrate  this, 
and  indicate  what  is  the  dog's  exact  temperature. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  these  temperatures  do  not  quite 
correspond  ;  and  investigation  has  proved  that  we  must 
recognize  differences  not  only  for  breed,  age,  sex,  etc.,  but 
also  for  each  individual.  It  is  true  these  are  slight,  but 
they  must  be  taken  into  account  in  drawing  conclusions 
for  both  the  healthy  and  the  diseased.  The  rectal  (or 
vaginal)  temperature  is  the  most  reliable ;  that  in  the 
groin  under  favorable  circumstances  is  usually  about  one 
degree  less  than  in  the  rectum,  but  it  can  not  be  relied  on. 

The  dogs  on  which  the  observations  were  made  be- 
long to  the  author's  own  kennel,  and  were  disturbed  as 
little  as  possible  during  the  act  of  taking  the  temperature. 
The  animals  were  a  pedigreed  greyhound  dog  and  pedi- 
greed Gordon  setter  bitch,  of  almost  the  same  age — about 
two  and  a  half  years. 

The  following  is  extracted  from  the  author's  record- 
book  :  Animals  fed  at  8.30  A.  M.  and  5  P.  M.  Dogs  re- 
moved from  the  kennel  while  taking  the  day  temperatures 
to  a  room  in  the  house,  and  kept  there  during  the  night  of 
observation,  January  3  and  4,  1891.  The  thermometer 


186  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

used  in  the  rectum  was  a  corrected,  certified  Hick's  instru- 
ment.    Time  occupied  in  each  observation  ten  minutes  : 

GREYHOUND  DOG.  GORDON  SETTER  BITCH. 

10.00A.M 102-0  101-4 

12.00  noon 102-2  102-2 

2.00  P.M 102-4  101-7 

5.30P.M 101-7  101-9 

8.15P.M 101-5  101-6 

10.30  p.  M 101-5  101-6 

12.00  P.M 101-4  101-2 

2.00A.M 100-4  101-8 

4.00  A.  M 100-4  100-7 

6.00  A.  M 100-4  100-8 

7.40A.M 100-6  100-5 

The  following  appears  from  the  above  :  That  there  is 
a  curve  of  temperature ;  that  the  maximum  differs  from 
the  minimum  (in  this  case  102-4°,  100-4°,  102'2°,  IQO'50) 
to  the  extent  of  about  2° — quite  an  important  matter  in 
determining  the  temperature  range  in  fever. 

While  there  is  a  maximum  in  every  case  examined,  it 
has  been  found  that  the  hour  has  not  agreed  in  any  of  the 
dogs  examined,  though  kept  under  the  same  conditions. 
The  individual  differences  in  temperature,  like  the  indi- 
viduality of  animals  generally,  have  been  somewhat 
ignored  by  writers  on  science  and  medicine. 

The  rectal  temperature  very  rarely  falls  below  100°, 
and  it  is  important  to  note  that  it  may  rise,  as  the  author 
has  many  observations  to  show,  above  102°  considerably  ; 
so  that  a  conclusion  that  fever  exists  can  not  be  made  on  a 
reading  of  even  102*8°,  especially  in  a  puppy  in  which  the 
temperature  may  naturally  be  higher  than  in  an  adult 
dog,  and  is  liable,  as  in  human  infants,  to  oscillate  very 
rapidly. 


FEVER.  187 

But  temperatures  under  99°  or  over  103°  should  arouse 
suspicion  of  disease,  and  even  a  temperature  of  102'6°,  if 
constant,  can  not  be  normal. 

FEVER. 

An  elevated  temperature  is  an  indication  of  that  dis- 
turbance of  the  bodily  processes  known  as  fever,  which  is 
usually  accompanied  by  an  increase  of  heat  production 
and  a  decrease  in  heat  dissipation.  That  there  is  increased 
chemical  activity  is  shown  by  the  augmented  output  of 
urea,  carbonic  dioxide  (COa),  and  still  more  by  the  excess 
in  consumption  of  oxygen.  More  fuel  and  more  smoke 
generally  mean  more  heat,  and  so  it  is  with  the  body. 

It  would  seem  that  fever  may  be  caused  by  poisons 
produced  within  the  body,  or  by  any  agency  that  will  de- 
range the  nerve-centers  or  certain  parts  of  them. 

Usually  there  is  excess  of  solids  in  the  excretions  with 
diminution  of  fluids. 

Many  diseases  are  marked  by  febrile  symptoms — i.  e., 
elevated  temperature,  rapid  pulse  and  respiration,  with 
diminished  excretions,  etc.  Most,  if  not  all,  germ  dis- 
eases are  characterized  by  febrile  symptoms. 

THE   PULSE. 

As  indicating  the  rapidity  and  character  of  the  heart- 
beat, and  the  condition  of  the  arteries,  the  pulse  conveys 
to  the  experienced  a  world  of  information.  It  may  be 
conveniently  taken  in  the  groin  of  the  dog ;  but  often  it 
will  be  necessary,  especially  in  the  case  of  small  dogs,  to 
attempt  to  get  at  the  state  of  the  heart  directly,  which  can 

be  readily  done  in  the  dog  by  feeling  the  organ  through 
14 


188  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

the  chest-wall.  As  the  dog  is  an  excitable  animal,  he  must 
be  quieted  and  soothed  a  little  when  the  pulse  is  being 
taken  or  the  heart  examined,  especially  by  a  stranger. 
In  all  cases  it  must  be  ascertained  that  the  pulse  is  not 
merely  transiently  affected  as  the  result  of  temporary 
excitement  from  the  very  process  of  examination  or  other- 
wise. 

The  variations  natural  to  the  different  positions  of  the 
body  are  not  to  be  forgotten. 

The  pulse  at  birth  is  very  rapid,  130  to  160  ;  for  the 
first  three  months,  120  to  140  ;  at  from  the  sixth  to  the 
ninth  month,  90  to  110  ;  after  one  year,  TO  to  90.  It  will 
be  understood  that  these  are  only  rough  estimates,  so  wide 
are  the  variations  with  age,  sex,  breed,  position,  tempera- 
ment, etc. 

A  merely  rapid  pulse,  with  no  elevation  of  tempera- 
ture or  other  unfavorable  symptoms,  is  not  of  great  sig- 
nificance usually.  It  is  to  be  borne  in  mind,  too,  that 
when  an  adult  dog  is  quietly  sleeping  the  pulse  may  be 
very  slow — indeed,  40  to  50. 

The  author  desires  to  draw  special  attention  to  a  feat- 
ure of  the  pulse  of  the  dog  to  which  reference  is  seldom 
made.  After  puppyhood  the  pulse  is  subject  to  a  sort  of 
normal  irregularity — i.  e.,  with  each  expiration  the  pulse 
is  slower  and  stronger,  and  the  beats  uneven — a  condition 
of  things,  in  fact,  which  in  man  or  any  other  animal  would 
be  a  certain  sign  of  disease  in  the  large  proportion  of  cases. 
The  phenomenon  in  question  is  never  shown  decidedly 
in  a  young  puppy,  and  it  is  never  absent  in  a  matured 
dog,  so  that  it  constitutes  in  some  measure  an  indication 
of  age.  By  the  inexperienced  these  peculiarities  might 


METHODS  OF  STUDYING  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE.    189 

readily  be  mistaken  for  abnormalities  of  the  heart.  The 
ratio  of  the  respiration  and  pulse  in  the  dog  is  about  the 
same  as  in  man — i.  e.,  about  one  to  four. 

THE  METHODS  OF  STUDYING  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

He  who  is  most  familiar  with  the  appearance  and  de- 
portment of  the  dog  in  health  at  the  various  periods  of  his 
existence  will  most  readily  appreciate  all  departures  from 
the  normal.  It  follows  that  the  student  of  canine  medi- 
cine should  associate  as  much  as  possible  with  the  dog  to 
acquire  the  desired  familiarity.  The  idea  that  a  student 
of  medicine  can  get  all  the  knowledge  of  dogs  that  is  re- 
quired from  seeing  sick  animals  as  they  may  be  brought  to 
an  infirmary,  though  widespread,  has  not  proved  correct, 
and  perhaps  explains  in  no  small  degree  that  lack  of  con- 
fidence in  veterinary  surgeons,  as  regards  the  dog,  which 
is  certainly  prevalent  if  not  well  founded. 

The  careful  study  of  even  a  single  puppy  throughout 
its  whole  period  of  growth  and  development  by  one  of 
good  powers  of  observation  and  a  reflective  habit  of  mind 
is  one  of  the  best  possible  preparations  for  the  study  of 
canine  medicine,  and  the  more  of  this  that  can  be  done  the 
better.  Departures  from  the  normal  can  only  be  ade- 
quately appreciated  by  him  who  knows  the  normal  (healthy) 
dog. 

If  the  veterinarian  were  known  to  be  a  man  who 
understood  well  the  various  breeds  of  dogs  in  health,  and 
was  in  sympathy  with  dogs  as  dogs,  there  can  be  little 
doubt  that  he  would  be  more  frequently  consulted,  espe- 
cially by  breeders ;  and  we  see  no  reason  why  he  should 
not,  like  the  "  family  physcian,"  be  periodically  called  in 


190  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

to  advise  so  as  to  prevent  disease — a  subject  on  which  mod- 
ern medicine  has  made  great  advances. 

To  the  really  intelligent  practitioner  there  is  little  sat- 
isfaction in  pouring  medicine  into  a  dog  whose  case  is 
plainly  hopeless,  but  which  might  have  been  saved,  possi- 
bly, if  an  early  consultation  had  been  sought.  It  is  for 
owners  and  practitioners  to  so  understand  each  other 
that  advice  will  be  valued  and  asked  early.  A  certain 
proportion  of  breeders,  etc.,  are  men  of  enough  intelli- 
gence to  appreciate  medical  discussions — at  all  events, 
sufficiently  to  know  when  to  attempt  treatment  themselves 
and  when  to  call  in  experts  in  medicine  ;  accordingly,  the 
author  will  endeavor  to  keep  this  part  of  the  work  free 
from  needless  technicalities,  while  it  is  made  scientific,  his 
object  being  to  make  the  book  as  widely  useful  as  possible. 

Diagnosis. — Different  persons  arrive  at  a  diagnosis  or 
determination  of  the  nature  of  the  ailment  by  different 
methods.  The  safest,  in  fact  the  only  absolutely  safe  way, 
is  by  the  process  of  exclusion — i.  e.,  considering  all  possi- 
ble or  probable  diseases,  and  finally  narrowing  down  to 
one  by  determining  that  the  malady  can  not  be  any  of  the 
others ;  apparently  a  tedious  method,  but  in  reality  with 
practice  pretty  rapid. 

Every  help  must  be  secured,  so  that  the  dog's  attitude, 
expression,  carriage,  etc.,  are  to  be  considered  before  he  is 
taken  in  hand  for  a  careful  examination  of  each  system  of 
the  organs  of  the  body.  The  latter  implies  what  is  termed 
physical  signs,  as  ascertained  by  palpation,  or  feeling  dif- 
ferent parts ;  auscultation,  or  listening  to  various  sounds 
derived  from  the  chest- wall  usually ;  percussion,  or  tap- 
ping with  the  fingers  or  instruments  over  different  regions 


METHODS  OP  STUDYING  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE.     191 

with  a  view  of  learning  whether  they  are  more  or  less 
resonant  than  normal,  etc.  But  it  will  be  perceived  that 
all  this  can  have  but  little  meaning  to  him  who  does  not 
understand  the  normal ;  hence  every  sort  of  examination 
should  be  practiced  on  healthy  dogs  of  various  breeds  and 
sizes.  The  physical  examination  of  the  dog  is  easy  in  it- 
self, but  may  be  troublesome  if  the  animal  is  restive  or 
fractious. 

This  leads  us  to  consider  the  manner  of  dealing  with 
dogs  during  examination.  Some  recommend  that  the  dog 
be  taken  out  of  the  sight  of  his  master,  quickly  thrown 
down,  and  so  handled  that  he  will  be  taken  by  surprise 
and  offer  no  resistance.  But  in  all  dealings  with  dogs  it 
can  not  be  too  well  remembered  that  they  are  very  sensi- 
tive creatures,  of  strong  likes  and  dislikes,  and  good  mem- 
ories. A  dog  may  be  so  treated  that  it  will  be  almost  im- 
possible for  the  same  person  ever  to  succeed  a  second  time 
in  examining  him.  Moreover,  if  a  dog  resists  it  is  not 
possible  to  form  correct  judgments  always,  as  his  functions 
are  disturbed  thereby. 

If  the  dog  is  treated  so  that  he  shall  see  that  no  harm 
is  meant  him,  he  will  usually  quietly  submit  according  to 
his  natural  amiability.  A  little  rubbing  of  the  head,  a  few 
soothing  words,  a  gradual  approach  toward  the  real  object, 
may  occupy  a  few  minutes  at  first,  but  save  infinitely  in 
the  end.  Now  and  then  there  are  exceptions,  but,  in  our 
experience,  they  are  of  the  rarest. 

Before  making  any  examination,  the  history  of  the  case 
should  be  obtained.  To  the  experienced  especially  it 
means  a  great  deal,  and  upon  it  alone  a  fairly  safe  diag- 
nosis may  often  be  made.  While  the  history  is  being  re- 


192  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

lated  the  dog  may  be  observed,  and  an  acquaintance  that 
shall  win  his  confidence  established.  If  there  are  no  febrile 
symptoms,  a  large  class  of  maladies  may  be  excluded. 
But  it  is  especially  necessary  to  point  out  that  the  cool, 
moist  nose  may  be  very  deceptive.  A  dog  with  a  high 
fever  and  dangerously  sick  may  have  a  cool  nose ;  nor  is 
the  pulse  of  the  sick  dog  always  accelerated.  The  only 
safe  rule  is  to  use  the  thermometer. 

In  making  a  diagnosis  the  greatest  importance  is  to  be 
placed  on  the  symptoms,  physical  signs,  and  history  of  the 
case,  as  they  make  up  a  whole  •  and  any  one  who  neglects 
to  consider  them  all  together  is  sure  to  make  mistakes. 

In  making  an  examination  of  the  dog  it  is  most  impor- 
tant to  do  it  in  such  a  way  as  will  render  it  easier  of  ac- 
complishment on  the  next  occasion ;  and  unless  this  be  car- 
ried out  so  that  it  is  at  least  not  disagreeable  to  the  ani- 
mal, or  as  little  so  as  possible,  the  trouble  will  increase  on 
each  repetition. 

REMEDIES  AND  THEIR  MODE   OF  USE. 

The  closest  investigation  the  author  has  been  able  to 
give  the  dog  has  convinced  him  that  this  animal  is  more 
like  man  in  his  physical  constitution  than  any  other  ani- 
mal, as  is  proved  in  part  by  the  character  of  his  diseases 
and  the  way  in  which  medicines  and  other  remedies  react 
on  him.  It  is  quite  impossible  to  treat  the  dog  on  the 
same  principles  as  the  horse,  ox,  etc.,  while  with  com- 
paratively few  reservations  human  medicine  is  directly  ap- 
plicable to  the  dog.  This  is  fortunate,  for  our  knowledge 
of  none  of  the  domestic  animals  at  all  approaches  in  ex- 
actness and  thoroughness  the  condition  to  which  ages  of 


DRUGS  AND  THEIR  ADMINISTRATION.  193 

study  Tinder  more  favorable  conditions  has  brought  human 
medicine. 

As  the  treatment  of  the  dog  falls  not  to  the  prac- 
titioner of  human  medicine,  but  to  the  veterinarian  or  prac- 
titioner of  comparative  medicine,  it  is  all  the  more  neces- 
sary that  a  special  study  should  be  made  of  the  dog,  tak- 
ing human  rather  than  equine  medicine  as  the  standard  of 
comparison. 

More  and  more  must  canine  medicine  become  a  spe- 
cialty ;  and  in  time  it  will  no  doubt  develop  its  own  pecul- 
iar doctrines,  treatment,  etc.  In  the  mean  time,  the  closer 
human  practice  is  imitated  the  better  will  it  be  for  the 
dog,  always  observing  those  exceptions  that  experience 
shows  must  be  made.  Hence  in  treating  the  dog  we  have 
to  use  similar  food  stuffs  for  the  sick,  similar  medicines  in 
like  doses,  and  the  same  external  and  internal  treatment 
generally  as  with  man. 

DRUGS   AND  THEIR  ADMINISTRATION. 

A  very  few  drugs  are  known  to  be  required  in  larger 
doses  for  the  dog  than  for  man — e.  g.,  aloes ;  but  this 
medicine  alone  is  not  a  good  remedy  for  either  dogs  or 
human  beings.  Dogs  are  peculiarly  liable  to  be  salivated, 
or  even  fatally  poisoned,  by  a  comparatively  small  dose  of 
calomel,  or  mercury  in  other  form,  so  that  great  care  must 
be  taken  to  see  that  it  is  administered  in  very  small  doses 
(one  fourth  of  a  grain  to  three  grains),  and  speedily  removed 
from  the  system  by  a  saline  or  other  aperient ;  nor  is  it 
safe  to  use,  in  most  cases,  mercurial  ointments.  Turpentine 
has  been  instanced  as  another  drug  dangerous  for  the  dog ; 
but  the  same  applies  to  man,  except  it  be  used  in  very 


194  THE  DOG  IX   DISEASE. 

small  doses  and  shielded  by  mucilage,  milk,  etc.  It  is 
very  important  to  note  that  opium  and  its  derivatives — as 
morphia — can  be  tolerated  to  an  almost  unlimited  extent 
by  dogs,  so  that  it  can  be  in  rare  and  urgent  cases  added 
to  ointments  which  may  be  licked  off  without  serious 
harm.  A  large  dose  of  opium  nauseates  a  dog  profound- 
ly, but  is  not  at  all  likely  to  poison  him. 

A  rule  for  the  dose  of  any  medicine  suitable  for  the 
dog,  based  on  the  quantities  given  to  horses  and  other  do- 
mestic animals,  is  extremely  difficult  to  lay  down  ;  in  fact, 
any  attempt  to  do  so  is  apt  to  mislead  the  inexperienced 
very  seriously.  In  general,  it  may  be  said  that  for  the 
largest  dogs — as  full-grown  St.  Bernards — the  dose  may  be 
exactly  as  for  an  adult  human  being  ;  but  for  other  dogs, 
of  say  forty  pounds,  the  dose  is  about  that  suitable  for  a 
child  of  twelve  to  fourteen  years,  or  about  two  thirds  that 
for  an  adult  man  ;  in  the  case  of  small,  matured  dogs — as 
terriers,  toy  spaniels,  etc. — from  one  third  to  one  half  the 
latter  will  be  near  the  mark. 

In  the  case  of  puppies  under  two  months  of  age  the 
less  medicine  given  the  better ;  but  if  it  must  be  admin- 
istered, the  doses  should  be  very  small  and  tentative.  In 
fact,  for  a  young  dog  the  first  dose  especially  should  al- 
ways be  smaller  than  is  usually  safe,  with  a  view  to  any 
possible  idiosyncrasy,  and  to  allow  the  stomach  and  con- 
stitution generally  to  adapt  themselves  somewhat  to  the 
foreign  substance,  for  such  it  is.* 

Sucking  puppies  may  be  treated,  as  for  constipation, 
through  the  mother,  since  drugs  are  in  many  cases  ex- 

*  A  tabular  statement  of  the  principal  drugs  recommended  in  this 
volume  and  their  doses  will  be  found  at  the  end. 


DRUGS  AND  THEIR  ADMINISTRATION.  195 

creted  into  the  milk.  As  a  rule,  very  young  nursing  pup- 
pies can  not  be  safely  drugged  directly. 

The  method  of  administration  of  medicine  is  of  simi- 
lar importance  to  the  method  or  manner  of  him  who  un- 
dertakes the  examination  of  dogs,  because  of  the  difficulties 
that  arise  if  the  animal  becomes  unmanageable  or  objects 
seriously  to  the  treatment.  Harshness  with  dogs  is  so  radi- 
cally opposed  to  their  nature  that  it  in  every  way  defeats 
the  end  in  view.  (See  Fig.  39,  page  389.) 

The  following  methods  have  been  recommended  :  1. 
To  back  the  animal  into  a  corner,  press  the  lips  against 
the  teeth,  and,  when  the  mouth  is  opened,  pass  the  medi- 
cine far  back,  rapidly  close  the  mouth,  and  wait  for  the 
dog  to  swallow,  covering  the  nostrils,  if  necessary,  to  com- 
pel him  to  do  so.  2.  Inserting  the  neck  of  a  small  bottle 
containing  the  medicine  in  the  pouch  between  the  angle  of 
the  lips  and  gradually  pouring  the  liquid  back.  3.  Pouring 
the  medicine  down,  if  liquid,  from  a  spoon.  4.  Giving 
pills  in  pieces  of  meat.  5.  Attaching  a  cloth  to  the  upper 
and  lower  jaws  to  hold  them  open  in  the  case  of  dogs 
large  and  hard  to  manage.  6.  To  keep  the  head  up  by 
a  fastening  after  the  administration,  to  prevent  vomiting. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  while  each  of  these  methods  may 
be  useful  as  guides,  and  successful  or  necessary  in  some 
cases,  the  nature  of  the  dog  and  the  amount  of  experience 
one  has  must  greatly  determine  the  method.  If  possible, 
it  is  well  that  a  dog  should  not  know  that  he  is  getting 
medicine  at  all,  so  that  if  the  latter  can  be  given  as  small 
pills  in  meat  it  is  most  desirable.  Modern  pharmacy  has 
provided  a  large  number  of  preparations,  etc.,  for  the 
practitioner  of  human  medicine.  In  some  respects  these 


196  THE  I)OG  IN  DISEASE. 

are  far  more  necessary  for  him  whose  duty  it  is  to  minis- 
ter to  sick  dogs.  They  can  not  understand  the  object  of 
what  must  seem  to  them  ill  usage ;  they  are  keen  to  feel 
any  affront,  as  this  liberty  by  a  stranger  often  must  appear  ; 
their  stomachs  tolerate  nauseous  draughts  and  boluses  very 
badly;  and  altogether  there  is  every  reason  why  dogs 
should  get  their  medicine  in  the  way  that  will  cause  least 
disturbance  of  their  feelings,  which,  as  we  have  before 
pointed  out  and  as  we  know  by  ourselves,  has  much  to  do 
with  the  bodily  condition ;  and  without  that  exhaustion 
which  may  follow  a  struggle  to  give  medicine. 

It  pays,  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  to  use  means  to  pre- 
vent dogs  tasting  the  medicines  they  must  take.  Hence,  to 
have  pills  either  gelatin-coated  or  sugar-coated,  or  to  use 
gelatin  capsules,  will  be  most  important.  So  many  drugs 
are  now  put  up  in  useful  combinations  for  man's  use  that 
the  canine  practitioner  can  avail  himself  of  a  large  field 
for  selection.  Gelatin  capsules  No.  0  and  No.  00  serve 
every  purpose  for  dogs.  Occasionally  liquids  must  be 
given. 

Spoons  of  various  sizes,  strong,  with  blunt  edges,  and 
capable  of  containing  more  than  the  dose  intended,  will  be 
useful.  For  obstinate  cases,  the  medicine  spoon  as  used 
in  human  practice  will  be  a  useful  addition. 

It  is  often  necessary  to  give  castor  oil  to  dogs.  This 
can  be  done  with  greater  satisfaction  if  it  be  somewhat 
warmed  (the  spoon  also)  and  floated  in  a  little  milk,  when 
it  will  run  off  the  spoon  and  down  the  dog's  throat  easier. 

Quickness  in  the  administration  of  medicines  is  of  the 
greatest  importance. 

The  author's  own  practice  in  giving  medicine  is  as  fol- 


DRUGS  AND  THEIR  ADMINISTRATION. 

lows :  Never  to  use  fluids  that  must  be  poured  down,  if 
possible  to  avoid  it ;  to  get  the  dog  against  a  wall,  a  cor- 
ner preferred,  between  the  knees,  press  on  the  lips  just 
enough  to  cause  the  mouth  to  open,  then  insert  the  gela- 
tin capsule,  moistened  with  saliva,  far  back  on  the  tongue, 
and,  giving  it  a  gentle  but  rapid  push  down  with  the 
fingers,  suddenly  close  the  dog's  mouth,  when  he  usually 
swallows,  almost  unaware  of  what  has  happened.  Then 
a  pat  on  the  head  and  an  encouraging  word,  arid  he  thinks 
no  worse  of  his  physician  than  before,  especially  if  he  gets 
a  taste  of  meat  or  a  sup  of  milk  just  after.  Even  in  giv- 
ing pills  we  now  often  prefer  to  put  them  in  a  small 
gelatin  capsule,  so  that  the  dog  actually  tastes  nothing  at 
all.  However,  the  above  method  is  varied  a  great  deal. 

Following  this  method,  the  author  can  administer,  with- 
out trouble  to  himself  or  offense  to  the  dogs,  a  dose  of 
medicine  repeatedly  to  any  of  the  more  than  twenty  in- 
mates of  his  kennel  at  the  present  time.  But  in  the  case 
of  some  very  sensitive  dogs — e.  g.,  Irish  setters — it  may  be 
well  for  the  master  or  trainer  to  get  some  one  else  to  give 
medicine,  so  that  he  may  not  be  associated  with  any  un- 
pleasantness in  the  mind  of  the  puppy.  Sometimes  a 
syringe  may  prove  very  useful  in  giving  medicine.  It 
should  be  of  hard  rubber,  or,  if  of  glass,  well  guarded  with 
metal.  Large  balls  or  boluses  are  unsuitable  for  dogs.  It 
is  better  to  make  them  into  smaller  masses  (pills),  which 
can  be  given  several  together.  However,  gelatin  capsules 
are  so  cheap  and  convenient  that  there  can  be  no  reason 
for  neglecting  their  use. 

Dogs  may  be  given  injections  by  the  rectum  or  vagina 
without  trouble.  They  object  to  hypodermic  injections, 


198  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

which  should  only  be  used  in  extreme  cases  demanding  a 
very  rapid  action,  as  in  collapse,  internal  haemorrhage, 
poisoning,  etc.  When  the  stomach  will  not  tolerate  medi- 
cine, it  may  be  given  hypodermically  or  by  the  rec- 
tum. But,  in  all  dealings  with  dogs,  decision,  rapid  action, 
gentleness,  etc.,  can  not  be  too  much  insisted  on. 

As  a  rule,  to  which  there  are  some  exceptions,  medi- 
cines had  better  be  given  after  food,  in  which  case  they  do 
not  so  readily  act  on  any  one  part  of  the  stomach  and  are 
more  gradually  taken  into  the  blood.  This  rule  applies  to 
all  preparations  of  iron  and  arsenic.  Aperients  should  be 
given  on  an  empty  stomach. 

DIET   AND    CARE    OF    THE    SICE. 

In  some  of  the  gravest  troubles  to  which  the  dog  is 
subject,  food  and  the  surroundings  of  the  patient  are  of 
infinitely  more  importance  than  medicine,  while  in  many 
minor  ones  attention  to  these  alone  is  required.  Per- 
haps the  best  advice  that  can  be  given  either  the  breeder 
or  the  student  of  medicine  is  to  make  himself  familiar 
with  the  actual  preparation  of  those  various  articles  of 
diet  that  have  in  recent  times  proved  invaluable  in 
the  hands  of  the  enlightened  human  practitioner  and 
trained  nurse.  "Know  thyself"  applies  here  again  in 
full  force. 

Dogs  have  sensitive  stomachs,  and  may  altogether 
refuse  to  eat.  Often  this  is  Nature's  method  of  restoring 
a  disordered  digestion  or  assimilation ;  but  during  the 
progress  of  febrile  diseases  the  animal  must  either  be 
tempted  with  palatable  food  and  coaxed  to  eat,  or 
forced,  if  his  life  is  to  be  saved.  Food  that  is  light 


DIET  AND  CARE  OF  THE  SICK.  199 

and  easily  digested,  or  food  that  is  readily  digestible  and 
also  highly  nutritious,  is  indicated. 

Broths,  milk,  eggs,  rice  prepared  in  various  forms  with 
the  greatest  skill,  may  be  taken  when  all  else  is  rejected. 
Often  the  dog  will  accept  a  little  given  to  him  from  the 
hand,  and  will  so  improve  in  the  interval  that  at  the  next 
feeding  period  he  will  eat  spontaneously. 

"When  a  dog  is  rapidly  losing  flesh  and  strength,  if  he 
will  not  eat  he  should  have  small  quantities  of  suitable 
food  forced  down  his  throat  every  hour  or  two.  If  the 
stomach  is  very  irritable,  small  pieces  of  ice,  or  a  very 
little  spirits  with  broth,  fluid  beef,  eggnog,  etc.,  may  be 
useful.  In  fact,  the  addition  of  a  little  wine,  brandy,  or 
whisky  to  liquid  food  in  prostrating  diseases  may  mark 
the  turning  point  in  the  case.  An  excellent  combination 
is  broth  and  boiled  rice,  the  latter  being  so  easily  digested. 
But  if  a  sick  dog  will  take  nothing  else,  he  may  relish  raw 
meat.  The  best  beef  or  mutton,  grated  or  minced,  some- 
times acts  like  a  charm,  and  need  rarely  be  denied. 

The  opinion  of  one  who  knows  the  individual  dog  well, 
provided  he  is  one  of  those  keen  and  sympathetic  observ- 
ers, should  be  given  the  greatest  weight,  even  by  the  most 
accomplished  practitioner.  We  must  beware  of  giving 
liquid  food  too  long,  lest  the  stomach  rebel  against  it. 
The  aim  is  to  furnish  food  for  a  wasting,  disordered  or- 
ganism in  a  form  that  can  be  used,  and  often  the  instincts 
of  the  animal,  if  duly  consulted,  will  be  the  best  guide. 

As  a  sick  dog  is  in  every  way  at  a  disadvantage,  the 
more  care  must  be  observed  as  to  all  matters  of  venti- 
lation, cleanliness,  a  suitable  temperature,  quiet,  and  com- 
fort generally,  including  a  ministering  to  his  self-esteem 


200  THE  DOG  IK  DISEASE. 

and  love  of  approbation.  Who  has  not  been  touched  by 
the  friendly  wag  of  the  dog's  tail  when  not  far  from  the 
end  of  all  things  to  him  ?  "Who  has  not  seen  the  effort  to 
eat,  simply  to  please  the  one  whose  slightest  wish  it  has 
been  the  very  highest  delight  of  his  life  to  meet  ? 

DISINFECTION. 

Disinfection  as  a  preventive  of  disease  must  play  a 
great  part  in  the  medicine  of  the  present  and  the  future. 
Since  it  is  now  known  that  very  many  of  the  most  fatal 
diseases  are  of  microbic  (parasitic)  origin,  and  that  these 
germs  can,  in  many  cases,  live  outside  of  the  body,  and  so 
perpetuate  disease  in  animals  exposed  to  them,  their  de- 
struction by  suitable  agents  is  plainly  indicated.  Such 
destruction  of  the  germs  themselves  and  the  poisonous 
products  they  create  is  disinfection. 

A  disinfectant  may  or  may  not  be  a  deodorizer,  and 
in  practice  it  is  very  important  that  a  strong  smell  of  car- 
bolic acid,  chlorinated  lime,  etc.,  shall  not  of  itself  satisfy 
the  mind. 

Disinfection  of  kennels,  whether  there  has  been  con- 
tagious disease  or  not,  at  regular  periods,  is  a  precaution 
the  proprietor  will  never  regret. 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  the  germs  of  disease  are 
usually  propagated  by  spores,  or  microscopic  vegetable 
cells,  which  have  great  vitality — i.  e.,  can  resist  conditions 
fatal  to  most  forms  of  life  about  us.  Thus  they  bear, 
many  of  them,  prolonged  drying,  great  extremes  of  tem- 
perature, etc.  Such  facts  probably  explain  the  amazing 
tenacity  that  such  a  disease  as  distemper  has  in  maintain- 
ing itself  in  a  kennel  in  which  it  has  once  broken  out. 


DISINFECTION.  201 

Disinfectants  have  been  divided  into  two  classes — those 
capable  of  destroying  spores,  including  fire,  steam  under 
pressure  (twenty-five  pounds),  boiling  water,  solution  of 
chloride  of  lime,  liquor  sodae  chlorinatse  (Labarraque's 
solution),  and  mercuric  chloride  in  solution  (corrosive 
sublimate).  The  second  group  is  effective  only  in  the 
absence  of  spores,  and  includes  dry  heat  (230°  Fahr.  for 
two  hours),  sulphur  dioxide,  carbolic  acid,  solution  of  cop- 
per sulphate,  and  solution  of  chloride  of  zinc. 

The  strength  of  the  above  solutions  should  be  con- 
siderable and  their  application  thorough.  It  will  be  seen 
that  the  agents  of  the  first  group  must  be  the  most  reli- 
able, and  should  be  resorted  to  in  all  doubtful  cases. 

In  the  absence  of  disease,  and  merely  to  keep  a  kennel 
sweet  and  free  from  vermin,  some  of  the  various  prepara- 
tions on  the  market  serve  a  good  purpose,  such  as  Jeyes' 
fluid,  "creosin,"  "sanitas  sawdust,"  etc.  "Sanitas  saw- 
dust" is  one  of  those  easily  handled  preparations  that 
are  most  useful  for  kennels  and  dog-shows.  But  none 
of  these  should  be  relied  on  after  distemper. 

In  actual  practice  it  will  be  the  safest  to  use  several 
methods  of  disinfection.  The  subject  is  so  important 
that  it  will  receive  attention  again  in  connection  with  the 
disease  distemper. 

AUTOPSIES  AND  MORBID   ANATOMY. 

Disease  or  alteration  of  the  natural  functions  to  an 
extent  detrimental  to  the  animal's  welfare  does  not  usually 
exist  long  without  changes  of  either  a  gross  or  microscopic 
character ;  and  as  experience  has  shown  that  certain  sets 
of  symptoms  are  generally  associated  with  definite  altera- 


202  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

tions  in  the  size,  color,  consistence,  vascularity,  etc.,  of 
organs,  for  the  purpose  of  being  sure  as  to  the  actual  dis- 
ease a  post-mortem  examination  must  be  made ;  and  while 
one  familiar  with  the  normal  appearances  in  a  dead  ani- 
mal may  know  that  such  and  such  departures  exist  in  any 
given  case,  yet  their  exact  interpretation  is  especially  the 
duty  of  the  expert. 

It  is  plain  that  the  sooner  after  death  the  autopsy  is 
made,  especially  in  very  warm  or  very  cold  weather,  the 
better  the  chance  of  learning  the  conditions  as  they  ex- 
isted during  life,  which  is  what  is  aimed  at  but  not  so 
easily  attained.  The  position  of  the  animal  at  death  and 
since  should  be  noted,  as  this  will  explain  gravitation  of 
blood  and  other  fluids,  the  neglect  of  which  has  led  to 
very  erroneous  conclusions.  Naturally  the  veins  contain 
most  of  the  blood  after  death,  so  that  if  the  small  arteries 
or  capillaries  are  full,  inflammation,  etc.,  is  to  be  suspected. 
The  condition  of  the  heart  is  very  instructive.  If  full  of 
blood  and  distended,  death  must  have  taken  place  during 
the  relaxed  phase  (diastole}  of  the  organ,  and  this  is  al- 
ways so  in  cases  of  strangulation  from  any  cause. 

When  the  heart  is  smaller,  contracted,  relatively  pale, 
death  must  have  taken  place  during  contraction  (systole) 
of  the  organ.  Generally  with  the  full  heart  the  lungs  are 
engorged  with  blood  also,  and  in  fact  the  appearance  of 
every  organ  may  be  modified  by  the  condition  of  the  heart 
as  affecting  its  blood-supply  at  the  moment  of  death. 

Bearing  this  in  mind,  all  other  departures  from  the 
normal  can  only  be  estimated  by  experience  in  examining 
the  dog  or  some  other  animal  (the  more  closely  allied  to  it 
the  better)  that  has  died  from  bleeding  in  the  one  case  and 


AUTOPSIES  AND  MORBID  ANATOMY.  203 

from  suffocation  in  the  other.  The  student  is  recom- 
mended to  investigate  this  subject  on  young  puppies  that 
must  be  killed  soon  after  birth — worthless  curs,  kittens, 
rats,  etc.  Having  learned  what  is  normal,  then  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  deviations  produced  by  disease  can  be  gradual- 
ly gained  by  autopsies  on  animals,  the  history  and  the 
symptoms  being  well  known,  for  without  these  any  one 
may  be  puzzled,  and  to  the  beginner  they  are  absolutely 
indispensable. 

Of  course,  post-mortem  blood-staining  is  to  be  dis- 
tinguished from  inflammatory  redness,  bile-staining  from 
escape  of  bile,  etc. 

The  object  of  the  present  section  is  not,  however,  to 
furnish  a  systematic  treatise  on  morbid  anatomy,  but  to 
point  out  the  great  importance  of  studying  the  appear- 
ances of  organs  after  death  in  both  the  healthy  and 
diseased. 

A  very  few  brief  directions  in  making  autopsies  on  the 
dog  may  not  be  out  of  place.  It  must  always  be  remem- 
bered that  the  organs  must  be  studied  in  relation  to  each 
other,  and,  before  any  one  of  them  is  removed  or  cut  into, 
its  own  appearance  and  that  of  related  parts  well  observed. 
If  the  examination  be  systematically  conducted,  the  cause 
of  death  can  usually  be  assigned. 

The  general  appearance  and  condition  of  the  animal, 
its  position,  etc.,  is  to  be  noted. 

Observations  are  to  be  recorded  in  writing,  it  being 
always  stated  how  long  after  death  the  examination  was 
made. 

The  chest  is  to  be  opened  by  removal  of  the  sternum 
by  cutting  through  the  rib  cartilages  on  each  side  after 
15 


204:  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

the  skin  has  been  dissected  back  from  the  middle  line. 
Removal  of  hair  by  scissors  will  often  be  advisable. 

The  circulatory  and  respiratory  systems  are  so  closely 
related  that  heart,  lungs,  etc.,  should  be  examined  early. 
If  any  fluid  is  present  in  the  chest  it  should  be  described, 
removed,  measured,  etc.  The  statement  of  the  position  of 
organs  if  abnormal  is  very  important. 

If  the  abdomen  is  opened  before  the  heart  or  circu- 
latory system  in  any  part  is  disturbed,  some  valuable  ob- 
servations may  be  made  throwing  light  on  the  question  of 
congestion,  inflammation,  etc. 

After  noting  the  position,  appearance,  etc.,  of  the 
heart,  great  vessels,  lungs,  and  other  contents  of  the 
thorax,  the  heart  may  be  incised  in  position,  the  pres- 
ence of  clots  observed,  the  amount  of  blood  in  a  fluid 
state,  etc.,  all  cuts  being  made  so  as  not  to  injure  the 
valves. 

Then  the  organ  may  be  removed,  cutting  away  as 
much  of  the  great  vessels  with  the  heart  as  possible,  when 
all  parts  may  be  opened  up  fully  for  more  complete  ob- 
servation. 

The  lungs  should  be  removed  with  the  trachea  and 
larynx,  so  that  all  may  be  carefully  examined.  It  should 
always  be  stated,  in  case  of  suspected  disease,  whether  sec- 
tions of  the  lungs  will  float  or  not.  The  character  of  se- 
cretions in  the  bronchial  tubes  is  to  be  stated,  and,  in  case 
of  sudden  death,  foreign  bodies  looked  for  in  the  larynx, 
bronchial  tubes,  etc. 

The  same  care  should  be  taken  before  removal  to  note 
the  position  of  organs  in  the  abdominal  and  pelvic  cavities 
as  in  the  thorax. 


AUTOPSIES  AND  MORBID  ANATOMY.  205 

Intussusception,  or  one  part  of  the  intestine  pushed 
within  another,  is  not  very  uncommon  in  the  dog,  and  at 
this  stage  it  should  be  looked  for — also  perforations ;  in 
fact,  let  everything  possible  be  done  to  detect  lesions  be- 
fore the  removal  of  organs.  The  stomach  should  be  in- 
cluded between  double  ligatures  at  both  extremities,  and 
then  cut  free.  After  the  removal  of  the  intestines  both 
may  be  examined  on  a  suitable  table  or  board,  on  which 
they  may  be  spread  out,  slit  open,  and,  after  inspection  of 
the  contents,  washed  by  running  a  stream  of  water  over 
them  from  a  small  kettle ;  the  position,  numbers,  and  kinds 
of  parasites,  ulcers,  adhesions,  etc.,  noted,  and  so  with  all 
other  organs. 

It  sometimes  becomes  necessary  to  examine  the  nerv- 
ous centers,  the  brain,  and  spinal  cord,  more  frequently 
the  former.  This  task  is  more  difficult  from  the  very  per- 
fection of  their  bony  protective  cases.  Small  saws  and 
bone-forceps  of  different  kinds  are  required.  The  cuts, 
after  removal  of  the  skin  of  the  head,  may  be  made  just 
above  the  base — on  a  line  with  the  root  of  the  ear  in  a 
good  many  cases.  The  saw  should  not  penetrate  soft 
parts  within  the  skull,  or  lacerations  will  result  that  may 
prevent  any  safe  conclusions  being  drawn.  The  degree  of 
distention  of  the  blood-vessels  of  the  coverings  of  the 
brain,  any  unnatural  adhesions,  tumors,  clots,  etc.,  should 
be  noted  before  the  brain  is  lifted  from  its  case  for  syste- 
matic slicing. 

A  blunt  chisel-like  instrument  is  of  great  service,  after 
the  saw-cuts  are  made,  in  prying  off  the  brain  case.  The 
removal  of  the  spinal  cord  is  difficult,  and,  fortunately, 
not  so  often  required.  The  vertebral  arches  must  be 


206  THE  DOG  IN   DISEASE. 

opened  from  the  back  either  with  bone-forceps  or  bj 
these  together  with  a  saw. 

The  cause  of  death  is  always  finally  by  the  heart  and 
lungs,  so  that  the  problem  resolves  itself  into  what  has 
caused  the  arrest  of  their  functions  ;  and  while  in  some  in- 
stances, as  in  the  case  of  violent  haemorrhages,  this  may  be 
easy  enough,  in  others  the  chain  of  events  is  long  and 
complicated,  and  some  of  the  links  almost  impossible  to 
find. 

Every  practitioner  of  medicine  should  aim  at  being  an 
expert  in  making  and  interpreting  autopsies ;  while  every 
breeder  who  will  secure  the  assistance  of  the  expert  may 
get  much  useful  help  in  avoiding  future  calamities,  and 
aid  in  the  most  effectual  way  in  the  advancement  of  medi- 
cine. 

DESCRIPTIONS    OF    DISEASE, 
RELATIVE    PREVALENCE,    ETC. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  term  "  type," 
or  "  typical,"  as  applied  to  breeds  of  dogs.  The  same  may 
be  used  for  the  characteristics  of  disease.  In  studying 
any  disease  it  is  found  that  the  combinations  of  symptoms 
are  rarely,  perhaps  never,  quite  the  same  in  any  two  ani- 
mals— a  statement  which  also  applies  to  their  intensity, 
order  of  appearance,  etc.,  though  the  latter  is  often  fairly 
constant.  These  variations,  as  we  have  already  tried  to 
make  clear,  are  due  to  the  inborn  and  acquired  differences 
in  the  constitutions  of  animals  of  the  same  species,  which 
are  inseparable  from  and  constitute  individuality.  As 
there  are  so  many  breeds  of  dogs,  these  principles  apply 
forcibly.  But  in  reading  most  works  on  medicine  which 


DESCRIPTIONS  OF  DISEASE.  207 

are  professedly  systematic  treatises,  one  meets  with  such  a 
long  array  of  maladies,  such  a  host  of  symptoms,  and  such 
a  variety  of  "  complications,"  that  he  is  at  first  surprised, 
when  an  actual  case  of  the  disease  presents  itself,  that  not 
a  quarter,  perhaps,  of  the  symptoms  enumerated  are  really 
present,  while  the  complications  are  likely  enough  wholly 
absent. 

Further,  with  increasing  experience,  it  is  found  that  in 
ordinary  practice,  either  as  a  breeder  or  practitioner  of 
canine  medicine,  not  a  few  of  the  diseases  so  fully  de- 
scribed are  scarcely  met  at  all.  While  it  is  desirable  that 
the  expert  shall  know  all  the  possibilities,  it  is  only  just 
to  the  learner,  whoever  he  may  be,  to  point  out  that  some 
of  the  departures  from  health  described  in  books  are 
merely  pathological  curiosities.  And  it  is  especially  ne- 
cessary to  warn  the  beginner  not  to  expect  to  find  all  the 
symptoms  that  may  be  enumerated  actually  present  in  any 
one  case,  or  in  any  score  of  cases.  But  it  is  most  impor- 
tant that  the  reader  grasp  the  general  character,  the  type, 
the  fades  of  the  disease  under  consideration — that  com- 
bination of  phenomena,  whatever  we  term  it,  which  will 
enable  him  to  understand  in  a  general  way  what  is  going 
on  within  the  body  of  the  animal  whenever  such  a  dis- 
turbance exists  as  is  denominated  the  disease  in  question. 
After  that  each  case  must  be  studied  on  its  merits.  It 
will  be  clear  that  there  is  always  room  for  the  exercise  of 
the  greatest  judgment  in  diagnosis,  prognosis,  and  treat- 
ment. 

The  weakness  of  patent  remedies  in  the  light  of  such 
considerations  must  be  plain.  There  can,  in  the  very 
nature  of  the  case,  be,  as  a  rule,  no  panaceas,  no  remedies 


208  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

of  universal  application.  But  what  is  possible  is  a  mas- 
tery of  the  principles  of  physiology,  pathology,  and  thera- 
peutics; an  acquaintance  with  symptoms  as  they  group 
themselves  in  disordered  animals;  a  knowledge  of  gross 
and  microscopic  lesions,  etc. 

It  will  be  the  aim  of  the  remaining  portions  of  this 
book  to  be  a  guide  to  the  accomplishment  of  this  in  so  far 
as  space  permits,  though,  of  course,  it  will  be  quite  impos- 
sible to  teach,  db  initio,  such  sciences  as  physiology,  pa- 
thology, and  therapeutics,  while  we  ever  gladly  point  to 
them  as  the  only  true  lights  in  scientific  medicine,  canine 
or  other. 

Relative  Prevalence  of  Disease. — As  a  matter  of  fact, 
the  greater  number  of  dogs  die  within  the  first  year  of 
life,  or,  as  in  the  human  subject,  during  the  period  of 
very  early  youth,  infancy,  or  puppyhood,  as  we  term  it, 
respectively ;  and  for  this  high  mortality  parasites,  mostly 
internal,  and  distemper  are  chiefly  responsible,  always 
including  all  possible  complications  and  consequences 
(sequelcB) ;  to  these  must  be  added  disturbances  of  the 
digestive  tract  and  skin  disease,  as  frequent  though  not 
commonly  fatal  maladies.  A  considerable  proportion  of 
puppies  die  of  inflammations  of  the  respiratory  organs. 

But  if  any  large  breeder  of  dogs  were  to  look  over 
his  mortality  records  for  a  long  series  of  years,  he 
would,  we  venture  to  state,  be  able  to  place  fully  three 
quarters  of  all  fatalities  under  debility,  parasites,  and 
distemper. 

The  first  is  scarcely  a  disease;  it  is  rather  lack  of 
vitality,  usually  traceable  to  injudicious  mating  or  inade- 
quate care  of  the  brood  bitch. 


RELATIVE  PREVALENCE  OF  DISEASE.  209 

So  that,  to  meet  the  needs  of  actual  practice,  whether 
as  it  falls  to  the  breeder  or  the  veterinarian,  we  shall  dis- 
cuss fully  those  conditions  which  are  found  in  fact  to  be 
the  cause  of  three  quarters  of  all  canine  misfortunes,  and 
only  briefly,  if  at  all,  diseases  of  the  rarest  occurrence,  and 
others  requiring  but  common  sense,  general  medical  knowl- 
edge, and  a  knowledge  of  canine  nature  generally,  to  enable 
any  one  to  cope  with  the  conditions. 

However,  as  it  is  more  scientific  and,  in  the  end,  better 
in  practice,  we  shall  consider  the  derangements  of  each 
main  system  of  the  body ;  though  the  reader  is  again  re- 
minded that  all  the  systems  are  inseparably  connected,  and 
that  every  one  is  in  sympathy  with  the  other — a  result 
to  be  explained  chiefly  through  the  nervous  system,  the 
blood,  and  the  lymph  which  is  derived  from  the  blood 
and  is  the  real  food  of  the  tissues. 

In  cities  the  veterinarian  is  very  frequently  consulted 
in  regard  to  toy  dogs — pampered  pets — whose  physical 
nature  rebels  against  what  their  perverted  instincts  toler- 
ate. Most  of  their  ailments  are  traceable  to  the  alimentary 
tract ;  and  dieting,  or  positive  abstinence  from  food  for  a 
time,  proves  most  serviceable  for  them. 

As  before  indicated,  it  will  be  assumed  that  we  are 
dealing  with  pure-bred  dogs,  for  any  treatment  that  will 
be  efficacious  with  them  is  still  more  likely  to  succeed  with 
mongrels,  that  are  both  less  liable  to  disease  and  more 
readily  restored  to  health. 

DISEASES    OF    THE    RESPIRATORY    ORGANS. 

Anatomical  and  Physiological. — The  respiratory  tract 
is  the  area  over  which  the  gases  that  are  concerned  in  the 


210 


THE   DOG   IN   DISEASE. 


ventilation  of  the  blood  pass,  and  extends  from  the  nos- 
trils to  the  air-cells. 

Briefly,  the  tract  consists  of  a  mucous  membrane  cov- 
ered with  epithelial  cells,  abounding  in  blood-vessels  and  lin- 


FIG.  12.— LUNGS,  ANTERIOR  VIEW  (SAPPEY). 

1,  upper  lobe  of  left  lung ;  2,  lower  lobe  ;  3,  fissure  ;  4,  notch  corresponding  to 
apex  of  heart :  5,  pericardium  ;  6,  upper  lobe  of  right  lung  ;  7,  middle  lobe  ; 
8,  lower  lobe  ;  9,  fissure  ;  10,  fissure ;  11.  diaphragm  ;  12,  anterior  mediasti- 
num ;  13.  thyroid  gland  ;  14,  middle  cervical  aponeurosis ;  15,  process  of  at- 
tachment of  mediastinum  to  pericardium  ;  16,  16,  seventh  ribs  ;  17,  17,  trans- 
versales  muscles  ;  18,  linea  alba.  Though  this  cut  refers  to  the  human  sub- 
ject, the  relations  of  parts  are  substantially  the  same  in  the  dog. 

ing  the  nose,  back  of  the  throat,  the  voice  box  (larynx),  the 
wind-pipe  (trachea),  its  subdivisions  (bronchi),  and  blend- 


DISEASES  OF  THE  RESPIRATORY  ORGANS.        211 

ing  with  the  essential  lung  membrane  (air-cells,  alveoli). 
The  tubes  constitute  a  tree-like  framework,  upon  which  the 
lung  tissue  proper  is  supported.  The  mass  of  this  is  elastic 
tissue.  The  atmospheric  air  rushes  into  the  respiratory 
tract  when  the  chest  is  enlarged  by  the  muscles  attached  to 


,11 


FIG.  13.— BRONCHIAL  TUBES  AND  LUNGS,  POSTERIOR  VIEW  (SAPPEY). 
1, 1,  summit  of  luugs  ;  2,  2,  base  of  lungs  ;  3,  trachea  ;  4,  right  bronchus  ;  5,  divis- 
ion to  upper  lobe  of  lung  ;  6,  division  to  lower  lobe  ;  7,  left  bronchus  ;  8,  divis- 
ion to  upper  lobe ;  9,  division  to  lower  lobe ;  10,  left  branch  of  pulmonary 
artery  ;  11,  right  branch  ;  12,  left  auricle  of  heart ;  13,  left  superior  pulmonary 
vein  ;  14,  left  inferior  pulmonary  vein  ;  15,  right  superior  pulmonary  vein  ;  16 
right  inferior  pulmonary  vein ;  17,  inferior  vena  cava ;  18,  left  ventricle  of 
heart ;  19,  right  ventricle. 

it,  because  the  lungs  everywhere  fit  its  walls  closely ;  and 
air  is  expelled  when  the  muscles  are  relaxed,  the  whole  to 
be  explained  on  physical  principles ;  but  the  action  of  the 
muscles  is  due  to  commands  or  nervous  impulses  originated 


212  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

in  a  collection  of  nerve-cells  or  center  in  that  portion  of 
the  brain  (medulla  oblongatd)  just  anterior  to  the  spinal 
cord.  This  center  is  accessible  to  the  blood,  and  may  be 
influenced  by  nervous  connections  of  the  most  extensive 
kind,  so  that  the  breathing  reflects  the  changes  that  are 
taking  place  elsewhere  in  the  body. 

The  essence  of  respiration  is  the  interchange  of  the 
oxygen  of  the  air  and  the  carbon  dioxide  (COa)  of  the 
blood ;  but  beyond  that  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  many 
poisonous  substances  are  eliminated  from  the  blood  by  the 
lungs. 

The  blood  is  exposed  in  the  lungs  in  extremely  minute 
blood-vessels  (capillaries),  which  are  everywhere  distrib- 
uted over  the  air-cells,  so  that  the  whole  process  may  be 
said  to  be  resolved  into  the  exposure  of  blood  to  the  air 
by  the  intervention  of  the  cells  that  compose  the  capillary 
blood-vessels,  the  basement  membrane  of  the  lungs  and 
the  cells  covering  it — all  of  which  are  of  the  very  thinnest. 

The  retention  of  the  carbon  dioxide  and  the  poisonous 
excreta  referred  to  stupefies  and  poisons  the  animal,  while 
the  withholding  of  oxygen  from  the  blood  starves  the  tis- 
sues, all  of  which  constantly  require  it  for  their  very  exist- 
ence, and  gives  rise  to  a  feeling  of  distress  which  we  can 
ourselves  artificially  produce  by  holding  the  breath.  The 
oxygen  is  carried  to  all  parts  by  the  coloring  matter  of  the 
red  blood-corpuscles,  which  is  lighter  or  darker  according 
to  the  amount  of  oxygen  it  retains.  Such  facts  enable  us 
to  understand  many  of  the  phenomena  of  inflammation 
and  other  affections  of  the  respiratory  tract. 

The  principal  inflammatory  diseases  of  the  tract  are 
laryngitis^  bronchitis,  influenza,  pneumonia,  and  pleurisy. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  RESPIRATORY  ORGANS.        213 

All  diseases  of  the  respiratory  tract,  notably  all  acute 
inflammations,  have  much  in  common.  In  all,  from  dimi- 
nution of  the  breathing  capacity  or  the  aerating  func- 
tions, the^e  is  more  or  less  disturbance  in  respiration,  with 
a  corresponding  alteration  in  the  circulatory  system.  In 
addition,  as  in  all  inflammations,  there  are  febrile  symp- 
toms, while  the  whole  system  is  affected  by  the  retained 
poisonous  products,  lack  of  oxygen,  etc. 

The  onset  of  all  is  favored,  if  not  actually  caused,  by 
exposure  to  great  and  sudden  changes  of  temperature, 
especially  after  exercise,  or  when  sleeping  in  cold  and 
draughty  kennels. 

Prophylaxis. — Good  feeding,  regular  and  sufiicient 
exercise,  comfortable  and  well-aired  kennels.  "Wet,  with 
cold,  and,  above  all,  draughts,  are  especially  to  be  avoided. 

Common  Pathology. — This  depends  on  the  fact  that 
there  is  in  all  these  diseases  an  inflammation,  so  that  there 
is  more  or  less  sudden  arrest  of  secretion,  with  swelling 
of  the  mucous  membrane,  followed  by  excess  of  and 
altered  secretion,  and  modified  function  generally. 

Common  Symptoms. — Kapid  breathing  and  pulse,  ten- 
dency to  nausea  at  the  outset,  a  chill,  febrile  symptoms, 
anorexia  (loss  of  appetite),  more  or  less  distress  or  actual 
pain,  altered  physical  thoracic  signs,  changed  secretions,  etc. 

Prognosis. — Good,  if  not  arising  as  complications  of 
other  diseases,  and  if  the  animal  is  not  debilitated  and  the 
treatment  be  judicious,  especially  the  hygienic  surround- 
ings and  the  feeding. 

Treatment. — (For  doses  of  medicines,  see  table  at  end 
of  the  book,  and  for  formulae,  pages  235  and  236.)  The 
indication  in  all  is  at  the  outset,  and  only  in  the  stage  of 


THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

hypersemia  or  congestion  to  attempt  to  abort  the  mischief. 
This  is  rarely  successful,  as  the  case  is  not  usually  observed 
early  enough.  But  at  the  moment  of  chill,  a  laxative,  a 
good  dose  of  quinine  with  bromide  of  potassium,  the  ap- 
plication of  the  chest- jacket,  to  be  presently  described, 
and  perhaps  a  little  whisky,  to  be  followed  in  an  hour 
by  Dover's  powder,  may  cut  short  a  threatened  attack. 
This  will  not  usually  be  successful,  and  the  aim  must  be 
to  favor  the  aeration  and  purification  of  the  blood  by  the 
closest  attention  to  the  atmosphere  surrounding  the  pa- 
tient, which  should  be  kept  pure  by  frequent  interchange 
of  air.  The  temperature  must  be  even,  not  less  than  60° 
to  65°  Fahr.,  and  the  air  rather  moist. 

Draughts  are  fatal.  To  relieve  pain,  quiet  the  heart's 
action  if  rapid  and  strong,  or  support  it  if  weak.  Keep 
the  temperature  within  bounds  ;  administer  a  suitable  diet, 
light  usually  at  first,  later  very  nutritious,  but  easily  di- 
gested. 

In  this  class  of  maladies  the  danger  is  from  poisoning 
of  the  system  by  retained  products,  both  natural,  which 
are  not  eliminated  as  usual,  and  altered  secretions;  the 
heart  is  overworked,  and  death  often  occurs,  sometimes 
suddenly,  from  cardiac  failure,  so  that  the  pulse  must  be 
carefully  watched.  The  rate  of  the  heart's  action  is  not 
of  so  much  importance  usually  as  its  character. 

When  the  heart  is  weak,  tonics,  and  especially  digitalis, 
with  alcoholic  stimulants,  administered  in  small  doses  but 
often,  are  called  for.  The  animal's  strength  must  be  main- 
tained at  all  costs.  If  it  will  not  take  food,  the  latter,  in 
the  form  of  concentrated  extracts  or  of  the  nature  of  fluid 
beef,  must  be  given ;  also  eggnog,  etc. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  RESPIRATORY  ORGANS.        215 

On  stimulants,  hygiene,  and  feeding  must  the  reliance 
be  placed  in  extreme  cases.  Drugs  are  of  subordinate 
value. 

Convalescence  is  assisted  by  gentle  exercise,  sunshine, 
massage,  amusement,  tonics,  cod-liver  oil,  etc. 

It  is  well  to  keep  records  of  the  respirations  and  pulse- 
rate,  as  any  very  markedly  disturbed  ratio  should  arrest 
attention,  and  is  by  no  means  a  good  sign. 

Some  additional  remarks  on  each  disease,  to  enable  the 
reader  to  grasp  the  salient  features,  will  now  be  better  ap- 
preciated. 

Influenza. — This  disease,  long  known  among  men  and 
horses  as  an  epizootic,  is  rarer  among  dogs,  and  is  of  very 
varying  degrees  of  severity.  There  is  an  inflammation  of 
the  mucous  membrane  of  the  respiratory  tract,  beginning 
usually  in  the  nose  and  extending  downward,  sometimes, 
especially  in  the  debilitated  and  old,  ending  in  pneumonia. 

The  symptoms  are  altered  breathing,  frequent  sneez- 
ing, dryness,  and  burning  sensation  (if  we  may  judge  by 
man's  experience),  with  high  temperature  and  great  pros- 
tration. 

Diagnosis. — The  eyes  soon  become  affected.  The 
watery  secretion  from  the  nose  and  eyes,  and  the  sneez- 
ing, with  the  fact  that  the  disease  generally  goes  through 
an  entire  kennel,  will  render  the  diagnosis  easy. 

Prognosis. — Favorable,  if  pneumonia  does  not  inter- 
vene, at  least  in  vigorous  animals. 

Treatment. — Quinine,  phenacetin,  etc.,  with  bromide  of 
potassium  at  the  outset ;  attention  to  temperature  of  the 
dog's  apartment  and  other  hygienic  conditions,  to  food,  etc. 

If  much  depression,  stimulants.     Convalescence  must 


216  THE  DOG   IN  DISEASE. 

be  carefully  watched,  tonics,  especially  nux  vomica  and 
strychnine  and  cod-liver  oil,  which  latter  may  be  consid- 
ered as  a  food  as  well  as  tonic,  being  very  useful. 

Acute  Laryngitis  is  not  so  common  by  itself  in  the  dog 
as  in  the  horse  and  in  man,  unless  that  very  mild  form 
associated  with  a  common  cold ;  but  it  may  result  from 
cold,  from  chemical  or  mechanical  injury,  as  from  tugging 
at  a  chain,  etc.  Inflammations  of  other  parts  often  extend 
to  the  larynx. 

Diagnosis. — There  may  be  difficulty  in  swallowing, 
but  usually  an  alteration  in  the  voice  of  the  dog,  with 
more  or  less  husky  cough,  tenderness  on  pressure,  etc.,  es- 
tablish the  diagnosis. 

Prognosis. — Favorable  if  oedema  (thickening  of  tissues 
by  effusion  of  liquid  into  them  from  the  blood-vessels) 
does  not  set  in. 

Treatment. — Good  hygienic  conditions,  as  indicated 
above.  Simple  cases  require  nothing  more. 

The  bowels  to  be  kept  freely  open.  Counter-irritation 
by  means  of  turpentine,  coal  oil,  stimulating  liniments,  or 
St.  George's  paint,  over  the  upper  trachea  and  the  larynx, 
will  tend  to  relieve  and  prevent  the  inflammation  spread- 
ing to  the  parts  below. 

Inhalation  of  medicated  vapors,  though  most  useful,  is 
not  easily  carried  6ut  with  the  dog ;  but  he  can  be  much 
helped  by  having  his  food  given  in  small  quantities  in 
liquid  and  semi-liquid  form,  very  hot ;  and  the  air  may  also 
be  kept  moist  and  warm  with  steam.  Any  attempts  to 
apply  hot  fomentations  to  the  dog  are  apt  to  be  frustrated, 
but  in  an  extreme  case  they  should  be  tried. 

As  there  is  usually  some  pain  and  cough,  sedatives  may 


DISEASES  OF  THE  RESPIRATORY  ORGANS. 

be  given  in  the  form  of  conium,  hyoscyamus,  belladonna, 
and  especially  Dover's  powder. 

Certain  oils  and  balsams,  as  copaiba,  balsam  of  Tolu, 
etc.,  seem  to  exercise  a  beneficial  effect. 

If  suffocation  threaten  from  swelling,  tracheotomy 
should  be  performed — an  operation  to  be  avoided,  if  possi- 
ble, on  account  of  all  wounds  about  the  neck  of  the  dog 
tending  to  bleed  excessively. 

Should  the  disease  become  chronic,  various  applica- 
tions found  useful  in  human  practice  may  be  tried  with 
the  dog,  though  to  place  a  solution  with  any  degree  of  cer- 
tainty in  the  larynx  itself  is  not  always  possible.  A  brush 
with  handle  bent  at  a  right  angle  will  be  most  serviceable. 
A  solution  of  chloride  of  zinc  in  water  to  the  extent  of 
ten  to  forty  grains  to  the  ounce,  and  then  diluted  one  half 
with  glycerin,  is  excellent ;  but  at  first  great  care  must  be 
exercised  lest  glottic  spasm  be  produced. 

Pleurisy. — The  inner  surface  of  the  thoracic  walls,  the 
upper  aspect  of  the  diaphragm,  and  the  lungs  themselves, 
are  covered  with  an  elastic  smooth  membrane,  lubricated 
in  health  with  a  small  quantity  of  fluid  secreted  by  its  own 
investing  cells. 

In  pleurisy  or  inflammation  of  this  covering  it  be- 
comes dry,  the  friction  of  the  opposed  surfaces  gives  rise 
to  pain,  and  sometimes  to  a  rough  grating  or  crackling 
sound — "  friction  sound  " — which  is  diagnostic. 

Causes. — Similar  to  those  producing  other  inflamma- 
tions of  the  respiratory  tract,  but,  in  addition,  various  con- 
ditions of  the  system,  as  rheumatism,  kidney  disease,  blood 
poisoning  (septicaemia),  etc.  It  is  a  frequent  complication 
or  accompaniment  of  other  diseases  of  the  lungs  when  it  is 


218  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

not  easily  detected.  Various  injuries,  as  fracture  of  the 
ribs,  also  induce  it. 

Pathology. — Dry  ness  of  the  membrane,  followed  by 
increased  secretion  of  an  altered  material,  either  perma- 
nently fluid  or  with  a  tendency  to  coagulate — "plastic 
lymph."  The  fluid  may  or  may  not  be  absorbed,  and  the 
semi-solid  matter  disappear  or  become  organized  and  cause 
adhesions,  limiting  the  action  of  the  lungs,  which  is  one 
of  the  gravest  results ;  or  the  fluid  produced  may  be  puru- 
lent— also  a  very  serious  state  of  things. 

Prognosis. — As  a  simple  disease  and  not  a  complica- 
tion, with  but  little  effusion,  and  in  the  absence  of  pus, 
the  prognosis  is  good ;  otherwise  uncertain. 

Diagnosis.  —  The  differential  diagnosis  is  between 
bronchitis  and  pneumonia,  chiefly  the  latter. 

The  pain,  the  shallow,  quick,  catchy  breathing,  the 
anxious  expression,  possibly  tenderness  on  percussion,  and 
especially  the  "  friction  sound  "  heard  on  auscultation,  with 
absence  of  dullness  at  the  same  time,  make  the  diagnosis 
pretty  certain. 

The  temperature  is  not  usually  as  high  as  in  pneu- 
monia. 

Of  course,  in  the  latter  disease  we  get  at  the  outset 
more  or  less  dullness  and  altered  respiratory  sounds,  which, 
as  the  disease  progresses,  become  more  pronounced,  till 
there  is  positive  "  wooden  dullness "  on  percussion,  with 
the  total  absence  of  respiratory  sounds  over  that  region, 
and  intensified  sounds  with  "blowing"  or  "bronchial" 
breathing  elsewhere  on  the  affected  side. 

The  difficulty  in  diagnosis  is  only  in  the  earliest  stage, 
before  the  physical  signs  of  pneumonia  are  well  estab- 


DISEASES  OF  THE  RESPIRATORY  ORGANS.        219 

lished.  Later,  if  there  be  dullness  in  pleurisy,  owing  to 
fluid,  it  is  shifting  in  extent,  and  varies  with  the  position 
of  the  animal. 

In  bronchitis  we  usually  soon  hear  sounds  (rales)  of 
some  sort  on  auscultation,  which  may  be  present  in  pneu- 
monia, though  not  without  the  signs  of  solidification. 

Percussion  and  Auscultation. — Percussion  should  pre- 
cede auscultation.  We  believe  that  the  best  results  will 
follow  the  practice  of  very  light  percussion  without  the 
help  of  instruments,  placing  two  or  three  fingers  of  one 
hand  flat  on  the  chest  wall  and  striking  quickly  and  lightly 
with  one  or  two  fingers  of  the  other,  so  that  the  blows  fall 
evenly  and  but  once  on  a  single  spot,  the  hand  working 
only,  and  not  the  arm.  Rapid  comparison  can  thus  be 
made  and  slight  differences  noted.  It  is  a  good  plan  to 
percuss  corresponding  areas  on  both  sides,  for  each  animal 
must  be  a  standard  for  itself  (its  own  norm.). 

It  is  well  to  learn  to  listen  with  the  ear  applied  to  the 
chest,  interposing  only  a  thin  piece  of  cotton,  as  well  as 
with  a  stethoscope.  It  is  often  a  great  advantage  to  use 
the  modern  flexible  binaural  stethoscope.  Apart  from 
hearing  more  distinctly,  in  the  case  of  dirty  dogs  infested 
with  vermin  the  advantage  is  obvious.'  Shy  animals  are 
also  less  disturbed,  not  to  mention  the  absence  of  the 
necessity  for  stooping,  etc. 

One  who  has  learned  the  normal  percussion  and  aus- 
cultation sounds  by  examination  of  healthy  dogs  of  differ- 
ent breeds  and  sizes,  will  not  find  much  difficulty  in  soon 
becoming  familiar  with  the  main  departures  in  disease, 
while  mere  verbal  descriptions  alone  are  of  little  real 

service. 

16 


THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Treatment. — Much  as  in  other  diseases  of  the  chest  as 
to  diet,  hygienic  surroundings,  etc. 

Pain  must  be  relieved  at  once  with  an  opiate,  say  fif- 
teen grains  of  Dover's  powder  for  a  dog  of  fair  size. 

Counter-irritation  is  decidedly  useful — e.  g.,  an  appli- 
cation of  turpentine,  followed  by  the  chest-jacket  (see  p. 
226);  a  mild  aperient,  and  aconite  to  quiet  the  circula- 
tion, may  all  prove  useful  in  this  stage  of  the  disease. 

Pleurisy  with  effusion  is  dangerous  in  proportion  as 
the  lung  space  is  replaced  by  fluid  and  the  vital  organs 
displaced.  Absorption  should  be  facilitated  by  counter- 
irritation,  and  every  measure  that  will  improve  the  gen- 
eral health. 

Some  like  to  administer  small  doses  of  calomel,  others 
iodide  of  potassium  and  digitalis,  to  stimulate  the  kidneys 
to  do  extra  work,  carry  off  more  fluid  from  the  blood,  etc. 

But  if  within  a  reasonable  period  the  fluid  does  not 
disappear,  and  especially  if  it  tends  to  increase,  or  if  it  be- 
comes purulent,  constituting  empyema,  it  must  be  drawn 
off  either  with  a  small  trocar  and  canula  ("  tapping ")  or 
an  aspirating  needle ;  but  in  no  case  very  suddenly  or  all 
at  once,  for  fear  of  heart-failure.  The  puncture  should 
be  made  low  and  far  back,  and  with  the  position  of  vital 
organs  in  mind. 

Convalescence  may  be  encouraged  by  the  best  of  food, 
tonics,  etc. 

Chronic  pleurisy ,  either  as  a  localized  subacute  inflam- 
mation or  with  effusion,  which  is  most  common  and  most 
serious,  is  not  of  very  frequent  occurrence  in  dogs  of  a 
good  constitution. 

The  symptoms  are  much  as  in  the  acute  form  of  the 


DISEASES  OP  THE  RESPIRATORY  ORGANS. 

disease,  except  that  tlie  fever,  pain,  etc.,  are  not  so 
marked. 

Treatment  is  to  be  directed  especially  to  the  removal 
of  the  effused  fluid,  either  by  natural  absorption  or  "  tap- 
ping,"  and  the  greatest  attention  to  the  general  health  of 
the  animal. 

Bronchitis. — This  disease  is  an  inflammation  of  the 
mucous  membrane  of  the  bronchial  tubes. 

When  the  smallest  tubes  are  involved  the  affection  is 
termed  capillary  bronchitis,  most  common  in  very  young, 
very  old,  and  debilitated  subjects,  and  so  is  by  far  the  most 
dangerous  form. 

Pathology. — There  are  swelling  and  dryness  of  the  lin- 
ing membrane  of  the  tubes,  followed  by  a  mucous  dis- 
charge in  excess,  which  is  apt  to  become  to  a  greater  or 
less  extent  purulent. 

The  cells  lining  the  membrane  die,  are  thrown  off  and 
expectorated  in  the  case  of  man.  As  dogs  do  not  properly 
expectorate  or  cough  to  much  purpose,  they  are  at  a  great 
disadvantage.  However,  they  frequently  vomit  when 
coughing,  which  tends  to  expel  the  excessive  and  altered 
discharge,  and  furnishes  a  hint  for  treatment. 

Prognosis. — Favorable  if  not  associated  with  gangrene 
or  death  of  lung  tissue,  abscess,  dilatation  of  the  tubes, 
and  if  the  strength  of  the  animal  be  good. 

/Symptoms. — More  or  less  cough,  moist  sounds  on  aus- 
cultation, with  sympathetic  congestion  and  catarrh  of  the 
eyes  and  nose. 

Treatment. — At  the  outset  an  emetic  of  twenty  grains 
of  sulphate  of  zinc,  which,  if  not  effective,  in  a  few  min- 
utes may  be  followed  by  two  to  four  drachms  of  wine  of 


222  TIIE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

ipecacuanha,  a  laxative,  attention  to  general  comfort,  and 
to  the  ventilation  especially. 

When  the  cough  is  dry  a  choice  of  some  of  the  follow- 
ing in  combination  may  be  made,  viz. :  Ipecac,  squills, 
ammonia,  spirits  of  chloroform,  hydrochlorate  of  apomor- 
phia,  paregoric,  morphia,  potassium  cyanide,  etc.  Later, 
ammonium  carbonate,  syrup  of  Tolu,  or  senega  may  re- 
place some  of  the  preceding.  Possibly  remedies  of  this 
character  may  be  required ;  but  the  sooner  drugs  can  be 
dispensed  with  the  better,  for  they  all  tend  to  disorder 
the  digestive  tract.  Quinine,  iron,  nux  vomica,  and  other 
vegetable  bitters  may  be  useful  after  the  acute  stage  has 
passed. 

In  chronic  bronchitis,  tonic  treatment,  including  cod- 
liver  oil,  is  of  great  importance. 

A  moderate  allowance  of  alcoholic  stimulants,  as  wine, 
whisky,  or  brandy,  is  often  called  for  when  bronchitis 
threatens  to  exhaust  the  animal,  or  when  it  overtakes  a 
dog  already  enfeebled  by  disease.  Supporting  treatment, 
with  an  emetic  at  the  outset,  will  be  best  in  the  capillary 
form  of  bronchitis. 

In  all  forms  of  the  disease  counter-irritation  and  the 
chest-jacket  are  very  beneficial. 

Verminous  bronchitis,  owing  to  the  presence  of  para- 
sites in  the  bronchial  tubes,  is  a  rare  and  unmanageable 
disease,  generally  leading  on  to  a  fatal  result.  An  attempt 
should  be  made  to  dislodge  the  worms  by  emetics,  inhala- 
tions of  the  fumes  of  burning  tar,  etc. 

Pneumonia  is  an  inflammation  of  the  substance  of  the 
lungs,  and  may  be  confined  to  a  portion  of  one  lobe  or 
may  include  the  greater  part  of  both  lungs.  Such  exten- 


DISEASES  OF  THE  RESPIRATORY  ORGANS.        223 

sive  inflammation  is  not  common,  and  is  almost  of  neces- 
sity fatal.  Pneumonia  is  divided  into  lobar  (croupous, 
diffuse)  and  lobular  (patchy,  catarrhal).  In  the  latter, 
only  limited  and  usually  scattered  portions  of  the  lung 
tissue  are  involved.  This  form  is  most  common  as  a  com- 
plication of  bronchitis,  and  especially  when  it  arises  in 
the  course  of  other  diseases. 

Causation. — The  onset  is  favored  by  wet,  cold,  any- 
thing inducing  a  chill,  etc.  Some  cases  are  almost  cer- 
tainly due  to  a  microbe,  and  the  disease  then  seems  to  be 
infectious.  It  will  be  safe  in  treatment  to  regard  all  cases 
as  infective. 

Pathology. — In  lobar  pneumonia  we  have  a  typical 
inflammation  with  hyperaemia,  soon  followed  by  escape  of 
red  and  white  corpuscles  from  the  blood-vessels,  and  effu- 
sion of  a  coagulable  fluid  with  increase  (proliferation)  of 
the  lining  and  other  cells  of  the  tissue  of  the  lung.  The 
portion  of  lung  involved  gets  red  and  solid,  when  removed 
after  death,  sinks  in  water,  cuts  firm,  and  looks  not  unlike 
liver.  This  is  the  stage  of  red  hepatization,  and  is  suc- 
ceeded, when  the  course  of  events  is  typical,  by  a  fatty 
degeneration  of  the  morbid  products,  a  stage  known  as 
gray  hepatization.  Resolution  is  the  return  to  the  nor- 
mal by  the  absorption  or  removal  of  this  foreign  material, 
a  natural  state  of  the  blood-vessels,  etc.  Untoward  results 
may  occur,  abscess  or  purulent  infiltration — i.  e.,  breaking 
down  of  the  lung  tissue — and  gangrene  or  local  death, 
usually  followed  by  breaking  down  of  a  portion  of  the 
lung.  Both  the  latter  conditions  frequently  prove  fatal. 
With  pneumonia  there  is  usually  more  or  less  bronchitis, 
and  often  pleurisy. 


224  THE  BOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Prognosis. — As  a  matter  of  fact,  pneumonia  is  a  dis- 
ease that  carries  off  a  considerable  proportion  of  the 
canine  race,  both  as  a  primary  affection  and  as  a  complica- 
tion and  sequel  of  other  affections,  which  is  probably 
owing  to  its  attacking  weakly  animals  when  a  primary 
disease,  to  neglect  at  the  outset,  and  to  indiscreet  treat- 
ment ;  while  during  the  course  of  and  subsequent  to  other 
diseases  the  constitution  is  naturally  often  unable  to  bear 
the  additional  strain. 

Much  in  the  prognosis  will  depend  on  the  amount  of 
lung  tissue  involved,  the  condition  of  the  heart,  and  the 
patient's  vitality  and  resisting  power. 

Symptoms. — Usually  pronounced.  Dyspnoea  (distress- 
ing breathing),  characteristic  anxious  fades  or  expression, 
injected  (red)  eyes,  dry  and  hot  (not  always)  nose,  and 
most  characteristic  attitude.  The  animal  sits  on  his 
haunches,  with  his  head  extended  and  mouth  open,  evi- 
dently suffering  from  lack  of  oxygen.  If  the  dog  attempts 
to  lie  down,  he  keeps  the  head  supported  high  on  some 
object.  In  extreme  cases  he  may  be  unable  to  lie  down 
at  all.  Percussion  reveals  a  more  or  less  dull  sound  over 
the  affected  area ;  auscultation,  fine  crackling  sounds. 
However,  neither  of  these  may  be  very  distinct. 

If  pleurisy  be  present,  a  friction  sound  is  to  be  heard 
(crepitant  rales),  and  this  friction  of  dry  surfaces  explains 
the  pain  in  great  part,  if  such  exist. 

The  attack  is  usually  ushered  in  by  a  chill — a  symptom 
which  should  always  be  inquired  for  and  to  which  the 
greatest  importance  should  be  attached,  as  invariably  in- 
dicating that  something  serious  is  at  hand  in  any  animal 
the  subject  of  it. 


THE  BLACK  COCKER  SPANIEL  CHAMPION  BLACK  DUKE. 
For  description,  see  page  69. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  RESPIRATORY  ORGANS.        225 

The  pulse  is  usually  rapid,  and  disturbance  of  the 
pulse-respiration  ratio  is  apt  to  occur.  Instead  of  the 
normal  four  to  one,  it  may  be  two  to  one,  or  less. 

The  temperature  may  reach  104°  to  106°  Fahr.,  with 
other  indications  of  fever. 

In  pneumonia  too  much  reliance  must  not  be  placed  on 
physical  signs,  as  there  may  be  very  grave  disease  without 
the  former  being  at  all  well  pronounced. 

But  prostration,  a  weak,  irregular,  very  slow  or  very 
rapid  cardiac  action,  or  greatly  disturbed  pulse-respiration 
ratio,  are  indications  calling  for  a  cautious  prognosis  and 
the  most  watchful  treatment,  especially  if  with  these  there 
be  much  dyspnoea  or  cyanosis  (blueness  of  mucous  mem- 
branes, etc.),  indicating  that  the  blood  is  being  very  poorly 
ventilated. 

Less  frequently  than  in  man  does  the  dog  cough  up 
the  characteristic  rusty  sputum — i.  e.,  mucus,  etc. — with 
blood  enough  to  color  it.  When  this  is  seen,  the  diagnosis 
of  pneumonia  is  clear. 

Diagnosis. — The  altered  respiration,  the  position  of 
the  animal,  the  dullness  on  percussion,  etc.,  usually  suffice 
to  establish  the  diagnosis  in  lobar  pneumonia,  by  far  the 
commonest  form  as  a  primary  disease. 

The  patchy  or  lobular  form  is  more  difficult  to  make 
out;  but  if  there  be  limited  areas  of  dullness,  or  more 
diffuse  but  ill-defined  dullness  on  percussion  appearing 
during  an  attack  of  bronchitis  or  other  disease,  this  form 
of  pneumonia  is  to  be  suspected. 

Treatment. — The  greatest  difference  of  opinion  pre- 
vails on  this  subject  both  as  regards  human  and  veterinary 
practice,  some  even  maintaining  that  when  no  treatment 


226  THE  VOG  IN  DISEASE. 

whatever  beyond  careful  nursing  is  adopted  the  results  are 
just  as  favorable. 

While  there  may  be  some  truth  in  this  so  far  as  typical 
cases  are  concerned,  it  is  not  a  safe  doctrine  to  teach  to 
the  young  practitioner,  nor  a  position  with  which  medicine 
should  be  content  even  if  the  assertion  be  true,  which  we 
very  much  doubt.  Directly  opposite  has  been  the  prac- 
tice in  regard  to  local  applications,  some  recommending 
them  warm  and  some  cold. 

But  as  a  matter  of  experience,  it  is  found  that  it  is  un- 
wise to  apply  either  kind  to  dogs  under  ordinary  circum- 
stances. Heavy  poultices  are  apt  to  shift,  the  dog  is  rest- 
less, and  in  changing  any  sort  of  moist  applications  the 
animal  is  apt  to  get  chilled,  so  that  this  mode  of  treatment 
may  be  considered  quite  unsuitable  for  dogs.  The  same 
may  be  said  of  cold  applications. 

The  chest-jacket,  before  referred  to,  we  have  found  in- 
valuable in  all  chest  diseases.  The  object  is  to  have  a 
close-fitting  coat  or  jacket,  which  shall  absorb  the  moist- 
ure from  the  animal's  skin  and  protect  it  from  varia- 
tions in  the  external  temperature.  The  exact  construc- 
tion is  of  minor  importance  provided  that  it  is  of  even 
thickness,  fits  closely,  and  can  be  kept  in  place.  Dogs 
do  not  usually  attempt  to  remove  such  a  comfortable 
body  bandage. 

In  winter  it  may  be  made  of  two  layers  of  flannel  or 
horse  blanket,  with  or  without  padding  of  cotton-wool 
quilted  in ;  and  it  becomes  still  more  effective  if  it  fit 
neatly  and  be  sewed  on  the  dog  in  such  a  way  as  to  lie 
close  and  feel  comfortable,  the  object  being  to  prevent 
access  of  cold  air.  For  summer  use  the  whole  may  be 


DISEASES  OF  THE  RESPIRATORY  ORGANS.        227 

less  warm,  but,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  pneumonia  is  much 
less  common  at  this  season. 

Openings  may  be  made  for  the  fore-legs,  or  the  whole 
may  be  attached  by  strips  of  cotton  in  front  and  firmly 
stitched  over  the  back.  It  is  well  that  it  extend  far  back 
over  the  loin.  Closeness  of  fitting  without  being  so  tight 
as  to  embarrass  the  breathing  is  important,  both  to  pre- 
serve it  in  position  and  to  prevent  the  access  of  cool  air. 
Often  the  dog  will  breathe  easier  at  once  when  this  dress- 
ing is  applied. 

When  there  is  pleurisy  especially,  it  will  be  advisable 
to  use  some  form  of  counter-irritation  first.  Turpentine 
answers  very  well,  and  leaves  no  stain,  as  does  iodine. 

Blistering  is  never  called  for.  It  is  the  writer's  opin- 
ion that  under  no  circumstances  whatever  in  any  acute 
disease  (if  ever)  is  blistering  of  the  dog  justifiable.  The 
amount  of  pain  and  irritation  is  out  of  all  proportion  to 
any  possible  good  in  an  animal  with  so  responsive  a  nerv- 
ous system  as  the  dog's.  Counter-irritation  is  often  use- 
ful ;  blistering  never. 

The  hygienic  surroundings  should  be  of  the  best,  the 
air  being  frequently  changed,  the  temperature  even  and 
not  above  60°  Fahr. 

The  food  must  be  light  at  first,  unless  there  be  marked 
prostration,  and  largely  fluid  or  sloppy  while  the  fever  is 
high. 

If  the  pulse  is  very  rapid  and  full,  tincture  of  aconite 
in  frequently  repeated  small  doses  may  be  useful,  watch- 
ing the  pulse  carefully,  especially  if  Fleming's  tincture  be 
used.  Some  practitioners  are  opposed  to  this  treatment. 

If  there  is  evidence  of  pain,  or  if  cough  is  troublesome, 


228  THE  DOG   IN   DISEASE. 

a  little  paregoric,  or,  better,  Dover's  powder,  on  account  of 
its  favoring  the  action  of  the  skin  and  kidneys,  may  be  given. 
Bleeding  has  been  recommended  in  very  sthenic  cases. 

Chlorate  of  potassium  has  a  good  reputation  in  diseases 
of  the  respiratory  tract,  and  is  favorable,  it  is  thought,  to 
the  oxidation  of  the  blood:  As  it  is  somewhat  depressant 
to  the  heart,  its  action  should  be  carefully  watched. 

In  the  early  stage  the  author  likes  to  give,  in  a  gelatin 
capsule,  powdered  bromide,  acetate,  and  chlorate  of  potas- 
sium with  tincture  of  aconite.  After  this  is  swallowed, 
the  dog  may  be  given  water  to  drink  to  dissolve  and 
dilute  the  dose.  Being  thirsty,  he  is  only  too  glad  to  get 
the  liquid.  He  may  relish  buttermilk  or  sour  milk,  and  it 
will  be  useful  at  this  period.  At  night  fifteen  grains  of 
Dover's  powder,  with  a  like  quantity  of  bromide  of  potas- 
sium, in  capsules,  will  be  useful  in  securing  rest. 

It  is  important  not  to  give  aconite  if  the  heart  be  weak, 
even  if  rapid,  and  it  should  be  stopped  if  it  does  not  with- 
in a  moderate  period  quiet  the  circulation,  as  a  depressant 
action  may  set  in  later  and  prove  dangerous. 

Death  in  pneumonia  is  nearly  always  by  heart-failure, 
and  this  organ  must  therefore  be  most  carefully  observed 
throughout. 

Assuming  that  resolution  has  begun,  the  general 
strength  is  to  be  maintained.  If  the  appetite  is  not  good 
and  the  temperature  is  not  high,  vegetable  bitters— as  nux 
vomica,  cinchona,  gentian,  etc.— will  be  useful ;  also  qui- 
nine, citrate  of  iron  and  quinine,  etc. 

During  convalescence  the  treatment  already  recom- 
mended for  other  diseases  of  the  respiratory  system  is 
suitable.  If  the  temperature  runs  very  high,  quinine  in 


DISEASES  OF  THE  RESPIRATORY  ORGANS.        229 

large  doses,  antipyrin,  or  phenacetin,  will  meet  the  views 
of  some.  One  large  dose  of  ten  to  fifteen  grains  of  qui- 
nine, with  twenty  grains  of  bromide  of  potassium  at  the 
outset,  may  be  worth  a  trial ;  but  repeated  doses  of  the 
above  remedies  are  of  very  doubtful  efficacy. 

If  the  disease  is  of  a  low  type  from  the  first,  with  evi- 
dences of  weakness  or  positive  prostration,  the  chief  reli- 
ance must  be  on  good  feeding  and  alcohol,  with  such  stimu- 
lants as  ammonia,  strychnine,  strong  coffee,  caffein,  etc. 

Whisky  or  brandy,  given  in  doses  of  a  teaspoonful  or 
less  with  fluid  beef  or  eggnog  if  the  dog  refuses  nourish- 
ment, or  diluted  with  water,  given  simply  as  medicine, 
often  produces  the  happiest  effects.  In  fact,  in  some  cases 
at  the  outset  a  small  dose  of  whisky  has  seemed  to  mitigate 
the  symptoms  at  once.  Of  course,  with  the  bounding 
pulse  and  a  generally  sthenic  type  of  the  disease  this  is 
plainly  not  indicated. 

Certainly  if  the  dog  will  not  take  nourishment  it  must 
be  forced  on  him,  with  as  little  exhaustion  of  his  strength 
as  possible. 

If  the  heart  becomes  very  weak  or  irregular,  resort 
must  be  had  to  digitalis,  say  five  drops  of  the  tincture 
every  two  hours  for  an  adult  dog  of  medium  size,  watch- 
ing its  effects  carefully.  It  is  a  most  valuable  remedy  in 
skillful  hands.  It  may  be  combined  with  carbonate  of 
ammonia  and  some  vegetable  bitter,  and,  if  quinine  has 
not  already  been  given  freely,  small  tonic  doses  (one  to 
two  grains)  may  be  given  three  times  daily.  Quinine  is 
a  well-tested  remedy  for  dogs  and  men ;  but,  in  the  case 
of  dogs  especially,  it  must  not  be  given  without  duly 
guarding  against  a  depressant  action. 


230  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

As  in  the  case  of  man,  unpleasant  head  symptoms  may 
be  obviated  by  giving  with  this  drug  ten  to  twenty  grains 
of  bromide  of  potassium,  according  to  the  dose  of  quinine, 
the  age,  etc.,  of  the  dog ;  but  it  is  somewhat  depressant. 

Asthma. — Spasmodic  asthma,  so  common  in  man,  is  of 
rather  rare  occurrence  in  the  dog.  This  form  of  the  dis- 
ease is  the  result  of  more  or  less  local  constriction  of  the 
bronchial  tubes,  owing  to  spasm  of  the  unstriped  muscular 
fibers  found  in  their  walls. 

The  causes  inducing  it  are  various,  as  certain  atmos- 
pheric conditions,  certain  mechanical  and  chemical  irri- 
tants in  the  form  of  dust,  gases,  etc.  It  may  also  be 
excited  by  parasites  in  the  intestinal  tract,  and  more  fre- 
quently by  their  presence  in  the  bronchial  tubes  them- 
selves. It  is  sometimes  traceable  to  dietetic  errors. 

The  other  form  of  asthma,  sometimes  spoken  of  as 
"  congestive,"  is  due  to  a  thickening  of  the  mucous  mem- 
brane of  the  air-tubes  from  congestion,  as  in  heart-disease, 
from  bronchitis,  etc.,  and  to  the  lessening  of  the  caliber  of 
the  tubes  by  the  pressure  of  tumors,  etc.,  when  the  symp- 
toms may  be  described  as  asthmatic  rather  than  as  arising 
from  asthma  as  a  disease. 

Asthma  is  not  common  in  young  dogs;  but  more  or 
less  dyspnoea  of  an  asthmatic  character  is  not  at  all  infre- 
quent in  old,  fat,  lazy  dogs  permitted  to  lie  about  the 
house  and  feed  to  excess. 

Prognosis. — As  to  complete  cure,  unfavorable;  gen- 
erally relief  can  be  given.  The  disease  of  itself  is  rarely 
if  ever  fatal. 

Symptoms. — Loud,  wheezy  respiration,  labored  breath- 
ing, characterized  by  prolonged  expiratory  efforts,  dilated 


THE  COCKER  SPANIEL  OTHELLO. 
For  description,  see  page  69. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  RESPIRATORY  ORGANS.        231 

nostrils,  perhaps  open  mouth,  with  numerous  evidences  of 
imperfectly  aerated  blood. 

Diagnosis. — Is  very  easy,  but  the  cause  is  not  so  readily 
made  out  in  all  cases. 

Treatment. — In  the  spasmodic  form  the  dog  should  be 
removed  to  a  small  chamber,  in  which  tar  or  kindred  sub- 
stances may  be  burned,  especially  if  the  symptoms  arise  in 
connection  with  bronchitis. 

Paper  dipped  in  a  solution  of  saltpeter  and  tincture 
of  stramonium  and  then  dried  may  be  burned  with  relief 
to  the  patient  sometimes. 

If  the  dog  be  gross  and  overfed,  his  diet  must  be  cut 
down  and  simplified.  This  is  a  clear  case  for  feeding  only 
once  a  day. 

The  liver  and  digestive  organs  generally  may  be  bene- 
fited by  the  timely  administration  of  a  compound  cathartic 
pill  at  night,  followed  by  Epsom  salts  in  the  morning, 
while  the  compound  rhubarb  pill  may  be  given  daily  for  a 
time. 

When  associated  with  bronchitis,  the  indications  are  to 
treat  that  disease,  of  which  it  is  but  a  sort  of  superadded 
symptom.  In  the  case  of  tumors,  removal,  if  possible,  is 
indicated.  If  this  can  not  be  done,  attention  to  the  general 
health  and  condition  of  the  dog  may  alleviate  the  distress. 

Iodide  of  potassium  in  small  doses,  gradually  increased 
and  kept  up  for  a  considerable  time  with  intermissions, 
may  effect  a  complete  or  partial  cure.  The  dose  may  be 
from  one  to  five  grains,  though  some  dogs  do  not  tolerate 
this  remedy  any  better  than  some  people. 

Tuberculosis. — This,  in  pulmonary  or  other  form,  is 
very  rare  in  the  dog,  though  it  may  be  induced.  When  it 


232  THE   DOG  IN   DISEASE. 

occurs  it  is  to  be  recognized  by  wasting,  altered  respira- 
tion, cough,  etc. — in  fact,  the  same  symptoms  as  in  other 
animals,  while  the  treatment  must  be  on  similar  lines  also. 
For  dogs  to  swallow  the  sputa  of  consumptives  is  dangerous. 

LOCAL  AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  NASAL  PASSAGES. 

Nasal  Catarrh. — Sometimes,  though  rarely,  as  the  result 
of  a  "  cold,"  more  frequently  of  a  succession  of  "  colds," 
in  dogs  badly  kenneled,  an  excessive  discharge  of  muco- 
purulent  matter  from  the  nose  results,  and  is  an  indication 
of  a  relaxed  and  weakened  if  not  a  low  inflammatory  con- 
dition of  the  membrane  lining  the  nose.  It  is  apt  to  fol- 
low distemper,  and  to  improve  or  get  worse  as  the  dog's 
general  health  varies. 

Very  often  the  mucous  membrane  covering  the  front 
of  the  eyeball  and  the  inner  surfaces  of  the  lids  (conjunc- 
tiva) partakes  sympathetically  (reflexly),  or  as  a  result  of 
the  original  inflammation  of  distemper,  etc.,  in  the  ca- 
tarrhal  condition. 

If  unchecked,  the  nasal  catarrh  may  lead  to  ulceration 
of  the  soft  parts  of  the  nose  or  to  inflammation  of  the 
bones  of  the  organ,  with  resulting  death  of  part  of  the 
bone  (necrosis,  caries) ;  or  the  secretion  may  become  al- 
tered, or  be  retained  and  give  rise  to  a  most  offensive 
smell.  From  such  inflammation,  catarrh,  etc.,  nasal  polypi 
or  growths  of  a  highly  vascular  character  occasionally  arise, 
and  may  so  obstruct  respiration,  or  cause  such  disturbance 
generally,  as  to  demand  treatment. 

Acute  catarrh  when  not  associated  with  distemper  does 
not  usually  require  local  treatment  in  the  dog,  as  it  is 
transient. 


LOCAL  AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  NASAL   PASSAGES.    233 

When  a  catarrh  does  not  yield  to  treatment  in  a  mod- 
erate period,  the  dog  should  be  anaesthetized  and  a  care- 
ful examination  of  the  nasal  passages  and  mouth  made  by 
the  help  of  bright  sunlight  or  a  reflecting  mirror  and  a 
speculum. 

If  growths  are  found,  they  should  be  at  once  treated 
either  by  burning  off  with  a  strong  wire  at  a  bright-red 
heat,  or  torn  out,  if  larger,  with  a  wire  snare,  and  the  bone 
cauterized  with  the  hot  wire  as  before,  which  usually  also 
arrests  all  haemorrhage. 

These  chronic  catarrhs  tend  to  undermine  the  health 
of  the  animal  and  to  become  less  amenable  to  treatment 
the  longer  neglected. 

The  nose  must  be  washed  out  with  a  syringe  and  warm 
water,  to  which  a  little  carbolic  acid  (about  five  grains  to 
the  pint)  has  been  added ;  or,  better  still,  if  the  dog  can  be 
kept  quiet,  a  spraying  apparatus  may  be  used,  though,  con- 
sidering the  length  of  the  dog's  muzzle,  this  is  somewhat 
difficult  to  manage. 

For  a  spray  such  a  formula  as  the  following  will  prove 
very  useful : 

9  Sodae  biborat 3  j  ; 

Sodae  carb 3  j  ; 

Acid,  carbolic gr.  v ; 

Glycerinae §  j  ; 

Aquae ad   §  yiij- 

M.     Inject. 

Often  the  cleansing  in  this  manner,  faithfully  carried 
out,  will  effect  a  cure.  If  not  weak,  astringent  solutions 
may  be  sprayed  up  the  nostrils  or  carefully  injected  by 
a  syringe  ;  but  strong  applications  do  only  harm. 


234  THE  &OG  IN  DISEASE. 

Sulphate  of  zinc,  about  two  to  six  grains  to  the  ounce, 
half  water  and  half  glycerin,  is  one  of  the  best. 

When  there  is  much  foulness,  a  little  boracic  acid  or 
iodoform  may  be  blown  up  to  advantage. 

The  external  parts  must  be  protected  from  the  irritat- 
ing discharge  or  a  form  of  eczema  will  result.  For  this 
purpose  the  oxide-of-zinc  ointment,  or  one  containing  a 
little  iodoform,  etc.,  will  be  useful. 

Attention  to  the  general  health  is  very  important, 
tonics — as  quinine,  iron,  phosphates,  cod-liver  oil,  etc. — 
being  demanded,  and  proper  evacuations  of  the  bowels, 
etc.,  indispensable. 

A  dog  long  affected  with  catarrh  is  apt  to  get  into  a 
dejected  condition,  and  his  psychic  treatment  is  not  the 
least  important. 

Ozsena  is  the  term  applied  to  a  form  of  catarrh  with  a 
fetid,  more  or  less  bloody  and  purulent  discharge,  which 
tends  to  irritate  all  parts  with  which  it  comes  in  contact. 

If  it  does  not  yield  to  the  treatment  for  chronic  ca- 
tarrh, a  careful  examination  of  the  nasal  passages  is  called 
for  to  ascertain  whether  there  is  not  disease  of  the  bones, 
etc.  The  external  openings  of  the  nose  should  be  pro- 
tected with  some  antiseptic,  as  iodoform  ointment  or  vase- 
line. This  is  also  a  good  application  internally,  or  iodo- 
form powder,  etc.,  may  be  blown  up  the  nostrils. 

Catarrh  may  also  be  due  to  parasites. 

Hints  as  to  Formulas  and  Administration  of  Medi- 
cines in  the  Treatment  of  the  Before-mentioned  Diseases. 
— To  economize  space,  we  shall  employ  now  and  later  the 
following  commonly  used  abbreviations :  9  for  prescrip- 
tion, recipe ;  gr.  for  grain ;  3  for  drachm ;  §  for  ounce ; 


LOCAL  AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  NASAL  PASSAGES.    235 

ft.,  make ;  mist.,  mixture ;  pil.,  pills ;  gtt.,  drops ;  ungt., 
ointment;  sig.,  directions;  aquae,  of  water;  dr.,  drachm; 
oz.,  ounce. 

It  will  be  assumed  that  an  adult  dog  of  say  forty  to 
fifty  pounds  is  to  be  treated. 

To  relieve  pain,  Dover's  powder,  in  ten-to-fifteen-grain 
doses,  morphia  sulph.  in  pills  of  one  eighth  to  one  half 
grain,  paregoric  in  doses  of  one  half  to  two  drachms. 
Laudanum  is  effective,  but  more  apt  to  nauseate.  All 
preparations  of  opium,  except  perhaps  Dover's  powder, 
tend  to  check  secretion — a  very  grave  objection  in  most 
diseases  of  the  chest. 

To  moderate  the  heart's  action  and  mitigate  other 
symptoms  in  pneumonia,  etc. : 

9  Tinct.  aconit.  rad 3  ijss. ; 

Pot.  bromid 5  ss. ; 

Pot.  chlorat g  ss. ; 

Pot.  acetat , S  ss. ; 

Syrup,  aurant §  i j ; 

Aquae ad   §  viij. 

Ft.  mist. 

Sig. :  A  dessertspoonful  every  two  hours. 
As  before  stated,  it  is  easier  to  give  most  remedies  not 
in  solution,  as  assumed  above,  but  as  powders  in  gelatin 
capsules,  with  the  tinctures,  etc.,  dropped  on  the  other 
ingredients,  offering  the  dog  water  to  drink  just  after- 
ward, or,  if  he  will  not  take  this,  a  little  milk. 

N.  B. — If  Fleming's  tincture  of  aconite  is  used,  the 
dose  must  not  exceed  one  drop  and  the  effect  be  carefully 
watched.  In  the  later  stage  of  pneumonia,  ammon.  chlorid. 

may  be  substituted  for  pot.  bromid.  in  the  above  formula. 

IT 


236  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

In    troublesome    cough,   potassium    cyanide    in   very 
minute  doses  (gr.  ^),  hydrochlorate  of  apomorphia,  or 
spirits    of  chloroform,   may   be   used   when   opiates   are 
contra-indicated,  as  well  as  tinct.  hyoscyami  or  conii. 
Useful  in  acute  bronchitis : 

9  Spt.  chlorof ormi §  ss. ; 

Yini  ipecac 3  ii j  ; 

Tinct.  scillse 3  v ; 

Syrup,  aurantii §  i j  ; 

Aquae ad    §  iv. 

Ft.  mist. 

Sig. :  Teaspoonful  in  a  little  water  every  two  to  four 
hours. 

Of  use  in  the  later  stages  of  acute  bronchitis  and  in 
chronic  bronchitis : 

9  Spt.  ammon.  aromat J  i  j ; 

Tinct.  senegse §  ss. ; 

Spt.  eth.  nit §  ij ; 

Spt.  chlorof  ormi §  j  > 

Syrup,  aurant §  i j  ; 

Aquae ad    §  vii j. 

Ft.  mist. 

Sig. :  Dessertspoonful  every  two  to  four  hours. 
In  chronic  laryngitis,  balsam  of  copaiba  may  be  given 
in  doses  of  ten  to  fifteen  drops  in  mucilage,  olive  oil,  raw 
white  of  eggs,  or  placed  in  capsules. 

When  iodide  of  potassium  is  to  be  administered  it  is 
well  to  combine  it  with  a  vegetable  bitter,  as  tinct.  gent.  co. 
In  asthma,  such  a  prescription  as  that  recommended 
for  chronic  bronchitis  may  prove  useful. 

Tonic  Treatment. — We  again  remind  the  reader  that 


DISEASES  OF  THE  CIRCULATORY  SYSTEM.        237 

tonics  had  better  be  given  some  time  after  food — i.  e., 
not  on  an  empty  stomach.  Pill  form  answers  admirably. 
Dogs  often  lick  up  cod-liver  oil  and  phosphates  (e.  g., 
Parrish's  syrup)  very  well  when  stirred  up  in  a  little  milk. 

DISEASES   OP    THE   BLOOD  AND    THE    CIRCULATORY 

SYSTEM. 

The  blood  consists  of  an  albuminous  fluid  in  which 
colored  and  colorless  cells  abound,  the  latter  in  relatively 
scanty  numbers.  This  fluid,  owing  to  the  arrangements 
of  the  circulatory  system,  is  conveyed  to  every  part  of 
the  body,  but  never  during  health  actually  escapes  from 
the  containing  vessels 

The  principal  function  of  the  red  cells  is  the  convey- 
ance of  oxygen.  The  blood  as  a  whole  is  at  once  the 
source  of  supply  for  all  tissues  and  the  medium  of  re- 
moval of  all  waste — i.  ev  all  waste,  gaseous  and  other, 
sooner  or  later  gets  into  the  blood  and  is  carried  to  those 
various  organs  that  serve  to  eliminate  the  different  harm- 
ful constituents. 

Nature,  then,  it  would  seem,  is  constantly  striving  to 
maintain  the  equilibrium  of  the  blood.  When  much  is 
taken  from  it  the  nervous  system  becomes  conscious  of  it, 
so  to  speak,  and  hunger  for  food  or  oxygen  is  the  result ; 
an  attempt  is  made  to  furnish  food  and  thus  renew  the 
blood  from  the  digestive  supplies,  while  the  lungs  do  the 
work  to  furnish  oxygen.  It  thus  appears  that  there  is  a 
very  close  relationship  between  the  respiratory,  circula- 
latory,  and  digestive  systems.  (Fig.  14.) 

But  in  reality  the  tissues  are  not  nourished  directly  by 
blood,  but  by  lymph,  which  may  be  regarded  as  an  albu- 


238 


THE   DOG  IN  DISEASE. 


minous  fluid  analogous  to  the  fluid  part  (plasma)  of  blood 
secreted  by  the  capillaries,  according  to  the  needs  of  the 
tissues  in  any  particular  region.  This  fluid  (lympK),  when 


Superior  Vena 
Cava. 


Inferior  Vena 
Cava. 


Capillaries  of 
Liver. 

Portal  Vein. 


Capillaries  of  the 
Head,  etc. 


Pulmonary  Ca- 
pillaries. 


Main  Arterial 
Trunk. 


Capillaries  of 
Splanchnic 
Area. 


Capillaries  of 


lapillanes  of 
Trunk  and 
Lower  Ex- 
tremities. 


FIG.  14.— DIAGRAM  OP  THE  CIRCULATION. 

The  arrows  indicate  the  course  of  the  blood.  Though  the  pulmonary,  the  lower 
and  the  upper  parts  of  the  systemic  circulation  are  represented  so  as  to  show 
the  distinctness  of  each,  it  will  be  also  apparent  that  they  are  not  independent. 
Relative  size  of  different  parts  of  the  system  is  only  very  generally  indicated. 

it  has  served  its  purpose,  is  in  great  part  removed  by 
another  set  of  vessels,  very  like  blood-vessels,  known  as 
lymphatics.  It  is  also  likely  that  not  a  little  is  taken  up 


BLOOD  DISEASES.  239 

by  the  capillaries  themselves,  though  of  this  we  have  not 
very  much  positive  evidence. 

It  is  worth  while  to  bear  in  mind,  too,  that  the  blood 
and  the  blood-vascular  system  are  developed  in  the  foetus 
together  as  parts  of  one  whole.  A  knowledge  of  these 
cardinal  physiological  truths  makes  much  in  the  causation, 
pathology,  and  treatment  of  disease  less  obscure. 

BLOOD  DISEASES. 

It  is  likely  that  the  white  corpuscles  become  relatively 
too  numerous  in  certain  conditions  in  the  dog  as  in  man  ; 
but  little,  however,  is  positively  known  on  this  subject, 
and  there  is  ample  room  for  investigation  of  the  blood  of 
this  animal  in  disease. 

Anaemia — which  implies  an  impoverishment  of  the 
blood,  especially  as  regards  the  quantity  or  quality  of  the 
coloring  matter  (haemoglobin)  of  the  blood  as  contained  in 
the  red  cells — occurs  in  dogs  as  in  other  animals. 

It  results  under  unfavorable  surroundings,  as  a  badly- 
lighted,  damp  kennel,  in  ill-fed  animals,  in  those  whose 
nutriment  is  abstracted  by  parasites,  in  bitches  bred  too 
frequently  and  exhausted  by  suckling,  etc. 

Pallor  of  mucous  membranes,  as  well  seen  in  the 
mouth,  makes  the  diagnosis  certain. 

Treatment. — Remove  the  cause  and  substitute  the  best 
conditions  possible;  feeding  on  the  most  nutritious  food, 
including  raw  flesh,  and  the  administration  of  certain  ton- 
ics and  alteratives.  As  the  coloring  matter  of  the  blood 
contains  a  certain  proportion  of  iron,  on  which  its  vital 
properties  largely  depend,  this  mineral,  in  the  form  best 
suited  to  the  animal,  is  indicated. 


240  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

The  muriated  tincture,  reduced  iron,  the  saccharated 
carbonate,  phosphates  containing  iron,  as  well  as  cod-liver 
oil,  and,  if  the  appetite  is  poor,  the  citrate  of  iron  and 
quinine — all  may  serve  a  good  purpose. 

In  some  cases  minute  doses  of  arsenic  or  corrosive  sub- 
limate will  help  the  action  of  iron  or  do  what  this  drug 
alone  can  not.  However,  the  importance  of  gentle  exer- 
cise, of  sunlight,  and  of  grooming  and  massage,  is  very 
great.  Parasites,  if  present,  must  of  course  be  expelled. 

Plethora  is  the  opposite  condition  to  that  just  described, 
and  is  most  likely  to  occur  in  vigorous  young  dogs  that 
are  insufficiently  exercised  and  overfed. 

The  remedies  are  plain :  low  diet  for  a  time,  given  but 
once  a  day,  plenty  of  exercise  gradually  increased,  an  oc- 
casional laxative,  etc. 

HEART-DISEASE. 

Until  the  physical  examination  of  dogs  is  practiced 
more  systematically,  and  post-mortem  examinations  much 
more  frequently  made,  we  shall  continue  to  be  a  good  deal 
in  the  dark  on  this  subject. 

All  violent  exercise,  if  long  continued,  tends,  both  in 
man  and  the  lower  animals,  to  induce  disease  of  the  heart 
and  blood-vessels. 

The  dog  has  a  large  and  powerful  heart,  and  the  elas- 
ticity of  the  arteries  of  the  dog  and  other  of  the  domestic 
animals  is  not  so  often  impaired  by  disease  as  in  the  case 
of  man ;  nevertheless,  dogs  violently  exercised — such  as 
coursing  greyhounds  and  field-dogs  that  engage  in  frequent 
competitions — do  occasionally  die  suddenly  from  heart- 
disease  ;  and  dogs,  probably  oftener  than  we  are  aware, 


HEART-DISEASE.  241 

suffer  from  enlargement,  dilatation,  or  valvular  disease  of 
the  lieart.  The  latter  may  result  from  rheumatism,  etc. 
It  is  true  that  the  physical  investigation  of  the  heart  of  the 
dog  can  not  be  carried  out  as  easily  as  in  man ;  neverthe- 
less, any  marked  alteration  in  size,  and  especially  any 
change  in  the  heart-sounds,  is  readily  made  out  in  the  one 
case  by  percussion  and  palpation,  in  the  other  by  auscul- 
tation. 

Hypertrophy,  or  increase  in  the  thickness  of  the  muscu- 
lar walls  of  the  heart,  is  not  of  itself  of  such  serious  im- 
port as  dilatation,  for  this  results  in  imperfect  closure 
(incompetency)  of  the  valves,  regurgitation  of  blood,  dam- 
ming back  of  blood  in  the  venous  system  of  the  body,  en- 
gorgement of  the  lungs,  and  that  long  list  of  evils  arising 
therefrom,  such  as  oedema  or  dropsy  of  the  tissues,  dropsy 
of  the  various  cavities  of  the  body,  indigestion,  haemor- 
rhage from  the  stomach,  disturbed  sleep,  etc. 

Prognosis. — With  care  in  the  case  of  hypertrophy  the 
prospects  are  good  ;  of  dilatation,  in  old  dogs  especially, 
not  hopeful. 

Treatment. — Cure,  or  a  return  to  the  normal  can  scarce- 
ly be  expected.  Palliation  is  all  that  may  be  hoped  for  in 
most  cases. 

The  dog  must  never  be  allowed  to  compete  with  fast 
and  vigorous  animals.  If  not  excitable,  he  may  accompany 
his  master  quietly  alone  or  with  some  easy-going  compan- 
ion. If  spirited,  exercise  on  chain  may  alone  be  allowed. 

Special  attention  must  be  paid  to  the  condition  of  the 
bowels  and  digestion,  especially  in  dilatation. 

At  the  same  time,  to  forbid  exercise  altogether  would 
be  a  capital  mistake,  both  as  regards  the  heart  itself  and 


24:2  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

the  dog's  general  health.  Drugs  should  be  used  only 
when  urgently  needed.  In  dilatation,  digitalis  is  the  most 
useful  single  drug  as  regards  the  heart  itself. 

However,  every  case  must  be  treated  on  its  merits 
with  the  utmost  discretion,  and  professional  advice  will  be 
valuable  accordingly. 

DISEASES  OF  THE  BLOOD-VESSELS. 

Aneurism  is  a  local  dilatation  of  an  artery.  It  is  said 
to  have  been  the  cause  of  the  death  of  the  noted  coursing 
greyhound  Master  McGrath.  Such  a  tumor  is  generally 
preceded  by  a  local  weakening  of  the  walls  of  the  vessel, 
owing  to  disease  of  one  or  more  of  the  coats,  and,  in  such 
cases  as  that  mentioned  above,  is  caused  by  straining  of 
the  vascular  system.  The  prognosis  is  bad. 

Diagnosis. — Dullness  over  the  area  on  percussion,  ab- 
normal respiration,  pulse,  heart's  action,  pain,  etc.,  are  the 
most  reliable  signs. 

Treatment. — Absolute  quiet,  a  diet  as  free  from  liquid 
as  possible,  and  iodide  of  potassium  in  gradually  increas- 
ing doses,  have  been  most  useful  in  human  practice,  and 
might  be  imitated  in  the  case  of  the  dog. 

DISEASES  OF  VEINS. 

In  old  dogs  dilatation  of  veins  in  the  extremities  is  not 
uncommon. 

Inflammation  of  veins  (phlebitis),  except  in  bitches 
after  whelping  or  following  on  blood-poisoning,  is  not 
common. 

Diagnosis. — An  alteration  in  the  circulation,  tender- 
ness on  pressure,  with  full  veins  in  the  neighborhood, 


DISEASES  OF  CERTAIN  GLANDS.  243 

swelling  of  the  limb,  etc.,  are  very  suggestive,  especially  if 
accompanied  by  febrile  symptoms. 

Treatment. — Quiet,  relief  of  pain,  hot  fomentations  to 
the  part  if  possible,  these  to  be  medicated  with  opiates, 
bland  diet,  etc.,  during  the  acute  stage ;  tonics,  good  food, 
and  massage  to  the  part  during  convalescence  after  all  ten- 
derness has  disappeared — are  the  indications. 

Dilatation  of  veins  in  the  extremities  and  elsewhere 
may  be  counteracted  to  some  extent  by  bandaging  and 
cold  sponging,  followed  by  suitable  gentle  massage. 

DISEASES  OP  LYMPHATICS  AND   OF   CERTAIN 
GLANDS. 

Inflammation  of  the  lymphatics  (lymphangitis),  except 
from  injury  of  a  mechanical  or  kindred  nature,  is  rare  in 
the  dog,  and  it  scarcely  ever  arises,  as  in  the  horse,  from 
overfeeding  and  want  of  exercise. 

The  treatment  is  about  the  same  as  for  inflammation 
of  veins. 

Of  course  the  lymphatic  glands  are  usually  involved  as 
well  as  the  vessels. 

Scrofulous  enlargement  of  these  organs,  so  common  in 
man  and  some  of  the  domestic  animals,  is  very  rare  in  the 
dog. 

Glands  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  mammce,  especially 
in  old  dogs,  become  chronically  enlarged.  Painting  with 
tincture  of  iodine,  the  application  of  the  officinal  com- 
pound iodine  ointment,  or  removal,  are  the  indications, 
though  they  are  rarely  dangerous. 

Bronchocele,  goitre,  or  enlargement  of  the  thyroid 
gland,  is  frequent  in  the  dog ;  the  cause  is  not  well  known. 


244  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

It  is  recognizable  as  an  enlargement  of  the  neck  with- 
out the  redness,  heat,  and  other  signs  of  inflammation  that 
would  precede  the  formation  of  an  abscess,  although  this 
is  a  possible  result,  especially  if  the  part  has  been  injured. 
It  is  most  frequent  in  young  dogs,  and  is  apt  to  give  rise 
to  trouble  by  interference  with  swallowing  or  respiration. 

Treatment. — Surgical  procedure  is  to  be  avoided  un- 
less an  abscess  forms,  when  it  should  be  opened.  Atten- 
tion should  be  paid  to  the  general  health,  and  syrup  of  the 
iodide  of  iron  or  iodide  of  potassium  and  a  vegetable  bit- 
ter may  be  tried,  as  well  as  tonics,  etc. 

However,  many  cases  will  yield  to  counter-irritation, 
painting  with  tincture  of  iodine  having  special  claims  to 
success.  Whenever  this  remedy  is  to  be  used  on  the  dog 
it  is  better  to  snip  the  hair  away  as  completely  as  possi- 
ble over  the  affected  region. 

DISEASES  OP  THE  ALIMENTARY  TRACT. 

General. — The  disorders  of  this,  like  other  regions  of 
the  body,  become  the  clearer  when  the  natural  structure 
and  functions  are  borne  in  mind. 

Though  certain  organs,  as  the  liver  and  pancreas,  seem 
to  be  separate  from  the  "  digestive  tract,"  as  that  term  is 
commonly  understood,  the  history  of  the  embryological 
development  of  this  region  of  the  body  shows  that  they 
are  outgrowths  from  a  main  tube  which  is  at  one  period 
a  straight  gut  and  which  becomes  differentiated  as  devel- 
opment proceeds.  Such  a  fact  explains  in  some  measure 
that  sympathetic  connection  which  is  very  conspicuous  in 
all  ailments  of  these  parts. 

In  general  it  may  be  said  that  the  digestive  tract  con- 


DISEASES  OF  THE  ALIMENTARY  TRACT.          245 

sists  of  a  long  muscular  tube  of  unequal  caliber  at  differ- 
ent parts,  covered  with  an  elastic  serous  membrane  exter- 
nally, which  tends  to  prevent  distention,  and  internally 
with  a  mucous  membrane  well  supplied  with  blood  (vascu- 
lar) and  abounding  in  glands  which  secrete  the  various 
digestive  juices.  The  muscular  tissue  is  necessary  for  the 
movements  essential  to  push  on  the  food  from  place  to 
place  throughout  the  tract.  Nervous  structures  are 
found  in  abundance,  which  explains  how  pain  is  caused  in 
disease,  and  how  the  nervous  centers  affect  and  are  affected 
by  the  condition  of  the  tract.  (Fig.  15.) 

The  solid  organs,  as  the  pancreas  and  liver,  are  really 
parts  of  the  digestive  tract,  as  already  explained,  and  are 
connected  with  the  main  tube  by  outlets  (ducts)  for  their 
secretions,  which  are,  of  course,  emptied  into  the  in- 
testine. 

From  this  brief  description  alone  it  must  be  apparent 
that  a  disease  affecting,  say,  the  last  part  of  the  whole  tract, 
while  localized  to  a  certain  extent,  must  also  be  expressed 
elsewhere,  even  at  the  very  commencement;  and,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  the  appearance  of  the  tongue  is  a  pretty 
fair  index  to  the  condition  of  the  stomach,  intestines,  etc. 

While  the  causes  of  the  disturbances  of  the  digestive 
organs  must  be  sought  in  anything  that  will  seriously  dis- 
order any  part  of  the  body,  it  is  more  especially  to  that 
which  the  animal  eats  and  its  quantity,  or  to  those  condi- 
tions that  affect  the  general  health — as  cold,  wet,  bad 
ventilation,  etc. — that  we  must  look  for  an  explanation. 
Of  acute  forms  of  inflammation  due  to  irritant  poisons, 
nothing  will  be  said  till  later,  when  treating  the  subject 
of  poisoning. 


246 


THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 


FIG.  15.— INTESTINES  OP  THE  DOG  (CHAUVEAU). 

a,  stomach  ;  6,  duodenum  ;  c,  jejunum  ;  d,  ileum  ;  e,  caecum  ;  /,  ascending  colon  ; 
gr,  transverse  colon  ;  h,  origin  of  descending  colon ;  f,  great  omentum  ;  fe, 
spleen  ;  Z,  mesentery  ;  m,  pancreas  ;  1,  aorta  ;  2,  great  mesenteric  artery  ;  3, 
artery  of  the  duodenum  •  4,  artery  of  the  large  intestine  ;  5,  small  mesenteric 
artery. 


AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  MOUTH. 

Indeed,  nearly  all  the  disorders  of  the  digestive  organs 
are  traceable  to  bad  management,  which  is  one  of  the  rea- 
sons why  we  have  devoted  so  much  attention  to  the  care 
of  dogs.  The  disorders  of  this  region  and  their  conse- 
quences in  loss  of  "  condition,"  and  especially  as  regards 
the  skin,  are  among  the  most  frequent  and  trying  of  the 
minor  ailments  of  dogs.  These  are  evils  with  which  all 
kennels  have  to  contend,  while  many  diseases  that  must  be 
described  in  books  are  comparatively  rare. 

The  treatment  of  such  troubles  when  they  do  arise  is 
so  much  a  matter  of  careful  dieting,  that  the  principles  of 
feeding  should  be  well  understood. 

The  general  expression,  especially  of  the  eyes  of  dogs 
suffering  from  any  digestive  disturbance,  is  very  suggest- 
ive to  the  experienced.  Any  redness,  any  catarrh  of  the 
eyes  when  not  directly  traceable  to  cold,  etc.,  may  usually 
be  set  down  to  digestive  disorders. 

The  character  of  the  evacuations  of  the  bowels  is  al- 
ways of  the  utmost  moment  as  an  index  to  both  causation 
and  condition ;  sometimes  quite  diagnostic. 

All  concentrated  food  tends  to  constipate,  and,  as  a 
rule,  coarse  food,  as  porridge,  to  relax,  as  does  also  a 
vegetable  diet. 

But  with  abundant  exercise  the  bowels  rarely  become 
constipated  on  any  diet. 

AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  MOUTH. 

We  shall  consider  the  salivary  and  mucous  glands — 
the  tongue,  the  teeth,  the  gums,  the  pharynx,  etc. 

Warts  may  be  so  numerous  over  any  part  of  the  mouth 
as  to  require  treatment.  Cutting  may  be  followed  by  too 


248  THE  DOG   IN   DISEASE. 

much  bleeding,  and  caustics,  except  when  very  carefully 
applied,  are  apt  to  be  too  destructive.  The  solid  nitrate 
of  silver  is  one  of  the  safest  and  best.  Strong  acetic  acid 
is  useful,  especially  when  these  epithelial  growths  are  very 
numerous.  It  is  to  be  swabbed  or  brushed  on  daily. 

But  perhaps  the  quickest  and  most  effective  method  is 
the  application  of  the  red-hot  iron  of  neat  form.  The  dog 
should  be  narcotized  first,  of  course,  when  the  operation 
is  to  be  at  all  extensive,  though  the  actual  pain,  if  the  iron 
be  at  a  bright-red  heat,  is  slight.  A  single  wart,  or  a  few, 
may  be  cut  off  and  the  base  cauterized. 

Salivary  Glands. — Salivation  in  greater  or  less  degree  is 
a  frequent  accompaniment  of  disordered  digestion,  espe- 
cially of  the  stomach.  Salivation  to  a  dangerous  extent, 
or  as  evidence  of  poisoning  by  mercury,  is  difficult  to  con- 
trol. The  breath  is  more  or  less  fetid,  and  the  gums  and 
other  parts  usually  suffer.  When  the  secretion  of  the 
mucous  glands  or  of  the  salivary  glands  is  abnormal,  tar- 
tar— i.  e.,  a  collection  of  lime  salts  entangling  foreign 
matter — collects  on  the  teeth.  A  dog  of  a  thoroughly 
healthy  digestion  rarely  suffers  thus.  It  is  important,  as 
sooner  or  later  the  gums,  and  the  teeth  themselves,  are  cor- 
roded, resulting  in  ulceration  of  the  gums  (cancrum  oris). 
The  latter  requires  both  local  and  constitutional  treatment. 

If  due  to  digestive  disorders,  attention  to  the  diet, 
regulation  of  the  bowels  by  exercise  and  dieting,  and,  in 
more  urgent  cases,  by  medicine,  usually  suffice. 

Mercurial  salivation  requires  more  attention.  Locally, 
strong  washes  of  chlorate  of  potassium  and  tincture  of 
myrrh  alternately  will  be  useful.  Iodide  of  potassium, 
combined  with  a  vegetable  tonic,  should  be  given  inter- 


AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  MOUTH.  249 

nallj  thrice  daily  in  doses  of  one  to  four  grains,  following 
any  special  indications  as  to  the  rest. 

The  Teeth. — If  tartar  tends  to  collect,  alter  the  food, 
and,  if  necessary,  the  general  management.  It  may  be 
judicious  to  feed  less,  or  to  feed  at  more  frequent  intervals 
and  in  small  quantities.  Sometimes  a  good  fast  will  be 
beneficial.  Each  case  must  be  studied  and  treated  accord- 
ing to  its  indications.  Hard  biscuits,  crusts,  and  bones 
tend  to  clean  the  teeth.  After  removal  of  the  greater 
part  of  the  tartar  with  appropriate  instruments,  a  brush 
and  powdered  charcoal  should  be  used  daily.  In  some 
cases  this  alone  will  suffice  to  restore  the  teeth. 

If  neglected,  the  gums  are  softened,  abscesses  may 
form,  ulcers  appear,  the  roots  of  the  teeth  be  absorbed, 
the  periosteal  lining  of  the  bone  get  inflamed,  etc. 

When  matters  get  to  such  a  pass,  one  or  more  teeth 
may  require  removal,  or  the  gums  to  be  lanced.  Ulcers 
will  need  to  be  washed,  as  above  indicated,  for  salivation, 
or  perhaps  a  little  boracic  acid  or  iodoform  dusted  on. 

Teeth  may  break  off,  leaving  stumps  that  decay  and 
give  rise  to  evils  that  threaten  both  the  gums  and  bone. 
Such  roots  should  be  extracted  with  suitable  instruments, 
the  dog  usually  requiring  to  be  anaesthetized. 

Coarse  instruments  and  unpracticed  hands  are  out  of 
place  about  the  mouth  of  the  dog.  The  veterinary  sur- 
geon will  get  some  hints  as  to  what  he  needs  by  an  in- 
spection of  the  tools  used  by  our  modern  dentists  with 
their  matchless  outfit.  In  puppies  the  first  teeth  some- 
times do  not  drop  out  in  time,  but  are  in  the  way  and 
turn  the  permanent  ones  aside.  They  should  be  re- 
moved. 


250  THE  BOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Inflammation  of  the  Tongue. — This  is  rare,  but  occasion- 
ally dangerous,,  from  threatened  suffocation  arising  from 
swelling.  "When  moderate,  it  is  marked  by  some  swelling, 
redness,  tenderness,  painful  deglutition,  etc. 

The  bowels  should  be  opened  freely,  the  animal  fed 
on  light  diet  at  first,  and  later  on  concentrated  food  if  the 
strength  fails.  If  he  can  not  swallow,  rectal  injections  of 
strong  broth  or  eggnog  are  called  for.  Locally,  washes 
of  chlorate  of  potassium  and  alum,  with  incision  of  the 
tongue,  or  tracheotomy  in  threatened  suffocation.  Tonics 
are  likely  to  be  called  for  after  the  inflammation  subsides. 

Blain. — This  term  is  applied  to  a  vesicular  eruption  on 
the  tongue,  etc.,  which,  bursting,  is  very  apt  to  be  fol- 
lowed by  ulcers. 

This  is  usually  a  disease  arising  from  neglect,  through 
which  the  animal  gets  into  a  debilitated  condition. 

Treatment  by  local  washes  similar  to  those  already  in 
dicated,  and  tonics  internally,  with  good  feeding,  are  the 
indications. 

In  all  cases  of  disease  when  ulcers  occur,  the  judicious 
use  of  the  solid  nitrate  of  silver  as  a  caustic  is  followed  by 
favorable  results. 

For  internal  use  the  following  is  recommended : 

$  Pot.  chlorat 3  ii j  ; 

Tinct.  f  erri  mur §  ss. ; 

Glycerines S  i j ; 

Aquae ad   §  viij. 

Ft.  mist. 

Sig. :  Dessertspoonful  after  food  three  times  a  day. 

It  is  better  to  give  this  as  indicated,  and  not  in  capsules, 
so  as  to  get  its  local  effect 


DISORDERS  OF  THE  DIGESTIVE  ORGANS.         251 

Pharyngitis  is  occasionally  present  in  niild  form,  as 
the  result  of  a  cold.  It  often  arises  as  a  complication  of 
other  diseases.  Except  the  irritation  of  foreign  bodies,  as 
corrosive  poisons,  and  when  due  to  bones  of  a  sharp  na- 
ture being  caught  in  this  region  back  of  the  tongue,  it  is 
seldom  serious.  When  a  dog  can  not  swallow  perfectly 
well,  a  careful  examination  should  always  be  made. 

Treatment  is  best  carried  out  by  attention  to  the  gen- 
eral health,  especially  to  the  bowels,  by  administering 
warm  liquid  food  and  by  careful  nursing.  The  hot  food 
acts  in  a  soothing  way.  A  little  at  a  time  and  often,  as  in 
laryngitis,  is  best. 

If  there  is  not  much  fever,  the  prescription  recom- 
mended for  blain  will  prove  helpful.  But  if  the  stomach 
is  disordered,  this  remedy  is  contra-indicated. 

FUNCTIONAL  DISORDERS   OF   THE   DIGESTIVE 
ORGANS. 

The  term  indigestion  is  very  vague,  implying  imper- 
fect discharge  of  the  functions  of  the  digestive  tract,  and 
is  also  often  associated  with  certain  positive  ailments. 
Many  of  the  same  symptoms  that  manifest  themselves  in 
consequence  of  actual  structural  or  organic  disease  mark 
derangements  that  are  purely  functional — i.  e.,  not  asso- 
ciated with  any  changes  of  structure  visible  to  the  naked 
eye  or  by  the  aid  of  a  microscope.  In  the  dog  these  are 
very  frequent. 

Salivation  as  one  of  these  has  been  noticed  already. 

Vomiting  is  one  of  the  easiest  acts  for  the  dog,  for- 
tunately, and  saves  him  many  ills  that  we  ourselves,  and 

especially  the  horse  and  ruminants,  must  suffer  from. 

18 


252  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

It  always  indicates,  when  purely  functional,  that  the 
food  is  unsuitable  either  in  quantity  or  quality,  or  that  the 
stomach  is  unfit  to  receive  it,  and  so  is  better  without  it. 
The  dog  frequently,  in  warm  weather,  eats  grass  and 
causes  vomiting,  and  thus  in  a  way  regulates  his  own  di- 
gestive tract. 

As  a  rule,  when  a  dog  is  seen  to  vomit  he  should 
either  be  left  without  food  for  a  time  or  have  his  diet 
wholly  altered — perhaps  both.  It  is  very  rarely  that  medi- 
cine is  demanded.  Yomiting  may  be  due  to  worms,  when 
the  indication  is  clearly  to  give  a  vermifuge.  When 
vomiting  is  frequently  repeated,  a  careful  investigation 
should  be  made,  and  poison,  among  other  things,  sus- 
pected. 

A  Capricious  Appetite  should  always  receive  attention. 
It  may  be  due  simply  to  lack  of  stamina,  or  to  debility 
owing  to  bad  hygienic  surroundings.  It  may  be  a  sign  of 
organic  disease,  of  worms,  etc.  The  bowels  will  generally 
be  found  at  fault.  If  due  to  mere  debility  or  atony  of 
the  digestive  organs,  vegetable  bitters — as  gentian,  quassia, 
cinchona,  etc. — are  useful,  especially  in  the  form  of  the 
compound  tinctures.  Nux  vomica,  carefully  watched,  is 
excellent.  A  change  in  the  feeding  to  raw  meat  only  for 
a  time  may  be  wise.  A  trial  may  be  made  of  a  mixture 
of  bicarbonate  of  soda,  powdered  rhubarb,  and  gentian,  or 
the  compound  tincture  of  cinchona.  If  dependent  on  a 
sluggish  condition  of  the  liver,  about  which  one  can  form 
some  opinion  by  watching  the  stools,  this  must  be  treated. 
The  color  and  consistence  of  the  stools  of  the  dog  vary 
with  the  food.  Meat  causes  them  to  be  dark  ;  a  mixed 
diet  some  shade  of  yellow.  They  may  be  very  hard  and 


DISORDERS  OP  THE  DIGESTIVE  ORGANS.         253 

light-colored  when  the  dog  chews  up  bones,  owing  to  the 
presence  of  lime  salts  derived  from  them.  The  faeces 
should  never  be  so  stiff  as  to  cause  the  dog  to  strain  to 
pass  them,  nor  so  fluid  as  to  run  from  him  in  a  stream. 
When  of  a  pasty  consistence  and  a  dirty-whitish  color, 
an  absence  of  bile  pigment  may  be  inferred,  and  that  the 
liver  is  at  fault.  Of  course,  the  appetite  soon  tells  a  tale 
when  any  part  of  the  tract  is  disordered.  In  a  dog  well 
managed,  however,  purely  functional  gastric  dyspepsia  is 
rare. 

Irregularities  of  the  Bowels — as  diarrhma  and  constipa- 
tion— are  also,  as  may  be  inferred  from  what  has  already 
been  said,  usually  evidence  of  injudicious  management, 
mostly  from  too  much  or  too  little  exercise,  bad  feed- 
ing, etc. 

Diarrhoea  arises  from  an  excessive  peristaltic  action  of 
the  bowels,  causing  frequent  evacuations,  which  must  of 
necessity  be  of  improper  consistence.  Generally  this  is 
due  to  the  presence  of  unsuitable  food  or  food  in  excess, 
giving  rise  to  fermentation  and  its  irritating  products ; 
sometimes  to  contact  with  the  damp,  cold  earth,  to  draughts, 
etc.  It  is  an  effort  on  the  part  of  Nature  to  get  rid  of 
offending  material,  and  should  not  be  arrested  at  once; 
in  fact,  only  when  there  is  danger  of  harm — as  inflam- 
mation, weakness,  etc.  A  diarrhoea  may  be  caused  by 
excessive  discharge  of  bile,  which  is  a  more  serious 
matter. 

If  diarrhoea  is  not  checked  by  quiet  and  rest  or  by  diet- 
ing, other  measures  may  be  necessary,  especially  if  blood 
appears  or  much  mucus.  Easily  digested  food  is,  of  course, 
indicated.  Opiates  and  astringents  should  only  be  tried 


254  THE  BOG  IN  DISEASE. 

after  a  good  dose  of  castor  oil,  to  free  tlie  bowel  from  of- 
fending matter,  if  such  there  be.  This  is  a  safe  proced- 
ure, even  if  the  diarrhoea  has  lasted  for  days.  If  there  is 
evidence  of  pain,  ten  to  fifteen  drops  of  laudanum  may  be 
given  with  the  oil.  Sometimes  one  dose  of  tincture  of 
rhubarb  in  peppermint-water  answers  well,  as  there  is  a 
subsequent  astringent  action.  If  the  relaxation  still  con- 
tinues, the  officinal  lead-and-opium  pill,  or  such  astringents 
as  kino  or  rhatany,  will  be  in  place. 

Obstruction. — Obstruction  may  be  due  to  prolonged 
constipation,  and  is  serious,  as  it  may  end  in  inflammation 
of  the  intestine  (enteritis}.  It  is  better  to  begin  by  enemas 
of  warm  soap-suds  and  castor  oil  or  olive  oil.  Occasion- 
ally it  may  be  necessary  to  scoop  out  the  obstructing  mass 
by  mechanical  means.  Castor  oil  or  syrup  of  buckthorn 
may  be  given  by  the  mouth.  Kneading  the  abdomen  may 
be  of  service.  Reference  will  be  made  to  this  subject 
again,  under  "  Peritonitis." 

Constipation. — Except  in  old  dogs,  this  is  mostly  due  to 
errors  in  management,  especially  in  feeding  and  from  ir- 
regular or  insufficient  exercise.  Dogs  kept  in  small  yards 
and  on  chain  frequently  suffer.  It  is  a  fruitful  source  of 
evil,  including  disorders  of  the  skin.  It  may  be  necessary 
to  feed  vegetables,  as  a  sort  of  medicine ;  though  porridge 
tends  to  relax.  Liver,  which  should  be  boiled,  is  also  use- 
ful. Food  that  is  very  concentrated,  and  sometimes  the 
opposite  kind,  tends  to  constipate.  Exercise  and  a  suitable 
diet  remedy  the  irregularity  in  most  dogs.  In  old  animals 
the  muscular  coat  of  the  intestine  loses  tone,  and  then 
medicine  and  massage  of  the  abdomen  is  demanded.  A 
pill  made  as  follows  will  possibly  do  good : 


DISORDERS  OF  THE  DIGESTIVE  ORGANS.         255 

9  Ext.  belladon gr.  ij ; 

Ext  nuc.  Torn gr.  v ; 

Ext.  Barb,  aloes 3  ss. 

M.     Ft.  pil.  no.  xxiv. 
Sig. :  One  pill  at  night. 

Constipation  may  arise  from  a  sluggish  liver,  in  which 
case  "  gray  powder "  (mercury  and  chalk),  small  doses  of 
calomel  at  night,  followed  by  Epsom  salts  in  the  morning 
and  carefully  watched,  extract  of  dandelion,  etc.,  are 
worthy  of  trial. 

The  author  suggests  as  valuable  remedies,  in  suitable 
form,  for  use  in  many  disorders  of  the  digestive  tract, 
the  officinal  compound  rhubarb  pill  and  the  compound 
cathartic  pill.  The  first  consists  of  aloes  and  rhubarb 
chiefly ;  the  latter,  of  colocynth,  jalap,  gamboge,  and  calo- 
mel. The  first  may  be  given  as  a  digestive  pill ;  the  sec- 
ond is  excellent  when  the  portal  system  is  overloaded — i.  e.,' 
when  the  digestive  organs  are  congested — when  their  cir- 
culation is  not  free,  as  often  happens  in  overfed,  under- 
exercised  dogs 

These  pills  can  be  obtained  coated  with  sugar  or  gela- 
tin. One,  except  for  the  largest  dogs,  will  suffice,  given  at 
night  on  a  very  light  supper,  and  followed  by  a  good  dose 
of  some  saline  in  the  morning.  For  habitual  constipation 
the  fluid  extract  of  cascara  sagrada  has  found  favor.  It 
may  be  given  with  or  without  castor  oil.  It  should  be 
given  in  capsules,  as  the  taste  is  very  unpleasant.  However, 
persistent  medication  is  bad,  and  enemata  of  soap-suds 
or  the  injection  of  a  small  quantity  (teaspoonful)  of  glyc- 
erin, with  a  little  cold  water  added,  by  a  small  syringe,  is 
not  much  trouble.  By  all  means  accomplish  the  result  by 


256  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

exercise  and  dieting  if  possible.  It  must  not  be  forgotten 
that  bones,  when  small  and  capable  of  being  chewed  up, 
are  very  constipating.  While  fine  flour  bread  tends  to 
eostiveness,  this  article,  made  from  unbolted  wrheat  or 
Graham  flour,  is  not,  and  constitutes  a  most  suitable  food 
for  dogs.  Spratts'  foods  rarely  constipate,  but  at  first 
may  relax  too  much.  As  a  rule,  they  soon  agree  well, 
and  as  patent  foods  leave  nothing  to  be  desired. 

Colic. — "When  the  contractions  of  the  intestine  are  long 
continued  at  one  spot,  pain  of  a  very  depressing  though 
more  or  less  spasmodic  character  results.  It  is  not  in 
itself  an  inflammatory  affection,  though  colicky  pains 
(tormina)  precede  or  accompany  several  intestinal  diseases. 

Causation  and  Symptoms. — Colic  may  be  caused  by 
unsuitable  food,  damp  and  wet,  worms,  lead  when  intro- 
duced to  a  poisonous  degree  into  the  body,  the  passage  of 
gall-stones,  renal  (kidney)  calculi,  etc.  Uneasiness,  moan- 
ing, or  sharp  cries,  arched  back,  difficulty  in  walking  at 
times,  as  if  paralyzed,  a  piteous  expression,  tense  abdo- 
men, etc. 

Treatment. — Give  at  once  a  good  dose  of  castor  oil 
with  twenty  drops  of  laudanum,  and  apply  to  the  abdomen 
a  turpentine  stupe  for  twenty  minutes ;  this  may  then  be 
removed  and  replaced  by  a  modification  of  the  chest- 
jacket.  If  the  bowels  do  not  soon  move,  give  an  enema 
containing  an  opiate,  and,  if  the  pain  still  persists,  twenty 
drops  of  chlorodyne  or  a  drachm  of  spirits  of  chloroform, 
with  a  like  quantity  of  aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia,  prop- 
erly diluted  with  water,  will  likely  afford  relief. 

Of  itself,  colic  is  not  a  fatal  disease ;  and  those  maladies 
which  are  really  inflammatory — as  enteritis,  though  often 


THE  IRISH  WATER  SPANIEL  CHAMPION  SHAUN. 
(K.  C.  S.  B.,  26,925.) 

For  description,  see  page  72. 


INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  DIGESTIVE  ORGANS.     257 

associated    with    colicky    pains — should    not    be    termed 
"  colic." 


INFLAMMATORY  AFFECTIONS  OF  THE   DIGESTIVE 
ORGANS. 

In  all  these  diseases  the  symptoms  bear  some  resem- 
blance, which  also  applies  to  causation,  pathology,  and 
treatment. 

This  is  owing  to  similarity  in  structure  of  the  intestine, 
stomach,  etc.,  and  to  the  fact  that  the  different  parts  of 
one  long  tract  are  anatomically  and  functionally  so  related 
that  one  can  not  be  seriously  affected  without  the  other 
sympathetically  (reflexly)  feeling  the  effects.  To  illustrate 
this  again,  if  the  stomach  is  inflamed,  nervous  influences 
proceeding  from  the  disordered  region  inward  to  the 
centers  by  the  nerves  supplying  the  region  in  question  so 
affect  these  centers  (brain  and  spinal  cord)  that  influences 
radiate  from  the  latter  along  the  nerves  to  the  part  affect- 
ed, and  to  other  regions  often  widely  removed,  and  act 
through  the  blood-vessels  and  otherwise.  (Fig.  16.)  This 
explains  how  it  is  that  the  heart,  the  appetite,  the  intes- 
tines, etc.,  may  be  affected  in  an  inflammation  of  the  peri- 
toneum, for  example. 

The  most  important  diseases  of  the  alimentary  tract 
are  gastritis,  or  inflammation  of  the  stomach;  enteritis, 
or  inflammation  of  the  small  intestines ;  dysentery,  or  in- 
flammation of  the  larger  intestine ;  and  peritonitis,  or 
inflammation  of  the  serous  covering  of  the  walls  of  the 
abdomen,  etc. 

Common  Pathology. — Increased  secretion,  etc.  (ca- 
tarrh), following  a  dry  state  of  the  mucous  membrane, 


258 


THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 


with  redness,  tumefaction,  exudation,  etc.,  owing  to  the 
usual  changes  in  vessels  and  tissues  at  the  seat  of  inflam- 
mation, as  before  described.  Of  course,  the  effects  of 

BRAIN  ABOVE  MEDULLA 
9ENSORY  CENTRE— V <!££>     && /—INHIBITORY  CENTRE 


SENSORY  CELL  AND 
AFFERENT  NERVE 


MOTOR  CELL  AND 
EFFERENT  NERVE 


MOTOR  CELL  WITH 
EFFERENT  NERVE 


FIG.  16.— Diagram  intended  to  illustrate  nervous  mechanism  of— 1,  automatism ;  2, 
reflex  action  ;  and  3,  how  nervous  impulses  in  the  latter  case  may  pass  into  the 
higher  parts  of  brain  and  affect  consciousness,  or  be  wholly  inhibited.  A  reflex 
or  automatic  center  may,  for  the  sake  of  simplicity,  be  reduced  to  a  single  cell, 
as  above  on  the  left.  The  arrows  indicate  the  course  of  the  nervous  impulses. 

irritating  products  formed  at  the  site  of  the  disease,  and 
absorbed  or  acting  locally,  must  not  be  forgotten. 

Common  Causation. — Apart  from  poisons  and  such 
like  irritants,  unhygienic  surroundings,  especially  damp 
with  cold;  unsuitable  food,  either  too  coarse  and  bulky 
or  too  exciting,  too  hot,  too  cold,  or  putrescent;  blows, 
nervous  shock,  as  from  harsh  treatment,  etc. 


INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  DIGESTIVE  ORGANS.     259 

Common  Symptoms. — Altered  expression  and  attitude, 
modified  appetite,  thirst,  vomiting,  changed  action  of  the 
bowels,  either  diarrhoea  or  constipation;  pain  or  tender- 
ness, alteration  in  the  muscular  tension  of  the  abdominal 
walls,  febrile  symptoms,  as  elevated  temperature,  quick- 
ened and  otherwise  modified  pulse  and  respiration ;  cer- 
tain brain  symptoms,  as  dullness,  or,  in  bad  cases,  delirium 
or  stupor  (coma). 

The  common  dangers  are  extension  of  the  inflamma- 
tion, gangrene  or  death  of  parts  of  the  organ  from  the 
severity  of  the  inflammation,  exhaustion  from  pain,  diar- 
rhoea, vomiting,  etc.,  or  sudden  collapse  from  haemorrhage 
or  nervous  shock,  heart  failure,  etc. 

Common  Treatment. — To  look  to  all  circumstances 
that  tend  to  favor  a  return  of  the  organs  to  health,  which 
implies  avoiding  all  sources  of  irritation,  whether  by  what 
enters  the  digestive  tract  or  by  external  conditions — sup- 
porting the  strength,  and  attacking  any  symptoms  that 
threaten  to  lead  to  any  of  the  dangers  above  mentioned. 
In  other  words,  we  must  pay  special  attention  to  feeding, 
absolute  rest,  comfort  of  body  and  mind,  to  allaying  pain, 
checking  vomiting  or  diarrhoea  if  excessive,  and  keeping 
up  the  strength,  when  failing,  by  suitable  feeding,  drugs, 
and  stimulants. 

Prognosis. — So  long  as  pain  can  be  controlled,  the 
heart's  action  is  not  very  rapid  or  feeble,  and  nourish- 
ment well  taken,  the  prognosis  is  usually  good. 

Peritonitis,  enteritis,  and  dysentery,  a  rather  common 
disease,  are  often  fatal. 

All  these  diseases  exist  in  a  subacute  and  chronic  as 
well  as  in  the  acute  form. 


260  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Instead  of  giving  a  systematic  account  of  each  disease, 
we  propose  to  now  add  some  remarks  especially  as  to  how 
to  discriminate  between  them  as  they  actually  meet  the 
practitioner  of  medicine,  and  in  reference  to  treatment. 
We  advise  all  owners  and  breeders  of  dogs,  when  their 
animals  have  prolonged  diarrhoea  or  slimy  and  bloody 
stools,  or  give  evidence  of  pain,  to  consult  some  medical 
expert,  as  delay  is  dangerous,  and  sound  treatment  not 
always  possible  except  by  one  of  special  education  and 
experience ;  though  in  all  that  relates  to  hygiene,  feeding, 
etc.,  the  intelligent  reader,  who  has  had  some  experience 
with  dogs,  should  be  fairly  well  prepared. 

Differential  Diagnosis  between  Colic,  Gastritis,  En- 
teritis, Dysentery,  and  Peritonitis. — In  typical  cases  the 
diagnosis  is  not  specially  difficult,  but  such  cases  are  com- 
paratively rare. 

Colic,  pure  and  simple,  should  be  easily  excluded,  as 
there  are  no  febrile  symptoms,  the  pulse  is  not  quickened 
appreciably,  vomiting  is  rare,  and  the  pain  is  relieved  on 
pressure,  while  in  all  the  others  the  reverse  is  the  case. 

The  symptoms  of  gastritis,  very  pronounced  in  the 
acute  form,  are  thirst,  vomiting,  pain,  tenderness,  etc. 
The  position  of  the  animal  is  often  characteristic,  inas- 
much as  it  lies  stretched  out  on  its  belly — there  is  not  the 
same  tendency  to  arch  the  back  as  in  colic;  but  in  all 
these  diseases  the  abdominal  walls  are  tense  and  shrunken 
unless  there  be  much  flatulence,  when  distention  with  ten- 
sion must  result. 

Enteritis  may  exist  with  less  marked  symptoms,  and 
this  should  direct  attention  to  the  intestines.  The  tender- 
ness will  be  more  extensive  and  reach  farther  back  if  pres- 


INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  DIGESTIVE  ORGANS.     261 


ent,  but  it  is  not  always  well  marked.     It  may  be  asso- 
ciated with,  colicky  pains  (tormina^. 


Inflammation  of  Lungs. 


Asthma. 


Gastritis. 


Colic. 


Rheumatism. 


FIG.  17.— (MAYHEW.) 


In  dysentery,  tenderness,  if  present,  will  not  be  so  dif- 
fuse, and  the  stools  are  characteristic,  at  all  events  after 
the  first,  which  may  resemble  those  of  a  simple  diarrhoea. 
Later  they  are  soft,  may  contain  little  balls  of  fecal  mat- 


262  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

ter,  but  especially  are  they  jelly-like  from  mucus,  and 
stained  with  blood.  Yomiting  is  not  common,  and  there 
is  far  more  straining,  with  or  without  expulsion  of  the 
morbid  secretions,  than  in  any  other  of  the  diseases  in 
question.  The  febrile  symptoms  are  not  so  marked  as  in 
gastritis,  enteritis,  and  especially  peritonitis. 

Peritonitis  is  characterized  by  constipation,  with  much 
pain  and  tenderness.  Thirst  and  vomiting  may  not  be  so 
marked  as  in  gastritis,  but  flatulent  distention,  constipa- 
tion, and  a  rapid,  wiry  pulse  are  highly  diagnostic. 

In  the  subacute  and  chronic  forms  all  symptoms  are 
less  defined,  and  the  general  disturbance  not  nearly  so 
marked. 

As  in  inflammation  of  the  serous  membrane  of  the 
chest,  there  may  be  copious  exudation  of  fluid  or  "  plastic 
lymph,"  which  may  lead  to  adhesions  that  are  sometimes 
the  cause  of  future  fatal  obstruction  of  the  bowels,  and 
other  evils. 

"When  all  acute  symptoms  have  subsided,  the  same 
remedies  may  be  used  to  facilitate  absorption  as  in  pleu- 
risy, with  the  additional  use  of  judicious  massage,  practiced 
daily  at  least. 

Treatment  should  be  both  internal  and  external. 

It  is  assumed  that  the  patient  is  well  housed,  with  en- 
tire separation  from  other  dogs,  and  provided  with  a  com- 
fortable bed. 

His  food  should  be  given  in  all  cases  in  small  quanti- 
ties and  often:  bland  and  liquid  or  semi-liquid  at  first, 
gradually  adding  more  solid  food  as  he  can  bear  it. 

In  all  cases  a  turpentine  stupe  may  be  applied  with  ad- 
vantage, to  be  followed  by  a  well-padded  but  not  heavy 


INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  DIGESTIVE  ORGANS.     263 

modification  of  the  chest-jacket — i.  e.,  a  dressing  to  cover 
the  parts  affected  and  those  immediately  adjacent. 

The  stupe  may  also  be  applied  somewhat  beyond  the 
region  beneath  which  the  affected  organ  lies,  as  the  effect 
on  sound  parts  seems  to  be  beneficial  to  those  actually 


Counter-irritation  in  some  form,  especially  at  the  out- 
set, is  certainly  indicated. 

Yomiting,  when  persistent,  must  be  combated  by  in- 
ternal remedies  also. 

Drink  must  not  be  allowed  the  dog  except  in  small 
quantities  at  a  time;  his  food  must  be  liquid,  and  but 
little  given  at  once.  In  some  cases  it  may  be  worth  while 
to  add  pepsin  to  the  food,  or  give  it  immediately  after,  to 
assist  digestion.  Lime-water  is  an  excellent  addition  to 
milk.  If  food  is  vomited  in  spite  of  all  precautions,  it  is 
useless  to  further  force  it  on  the  animal ;  but  if  there  be 
urgent  need  of  nourishment,  it  may  be  given  by  the  rectum 
(injection  or  enema). 

To  arrest  vomiting,  trial  may  be  made  of  small  quanti- 
ties of  ice-water,  small  bits  of  ice,  the  dilute  officinal  prus- 
sic  acid,  very  small  doses  of  carbolic  acid  (one  half  to  one 
grain)  in  a  little  ice-water,  oxalate  of  cerium,  the  latter 
with  small  doses  of  sulphate  of  morphia  (gr.  •§-),  subnitrate 
of  bismuth  alone  or  with  cerium  or  morphia  ;  hypodermic 
injection  of  morphia  over  the  stomach.  Warm  and  stimu- 
lating applications,  as  turpentine,  will  be  worth  a  trial  in 
all  cases.  • 

The  diarrhcea  of  enteritis,  or  dysentery,  apart  from 
the  external  treatment,  may  require  special  remedies,  such 
as  have  been  already  indicated  under  "Diarrhoea"  (page 


204  THE  -BOG-  IN  DISEASE. 

253) ;  but  in  dysentery  great  benefit  is  often  derived  from 
injections  of  boiled  starch,  with  twenty  to  forty  drops  of 
laudanum,  and  a  dessert-spoonful  of  listerine,  the  whole  to 
be  retained  within  the  bowel  by  holding  the  hand,  invested 
in  a  soft  cloth,  against  the  anus  for  ten  minutes  at  least. 

As  already  indicated,  we  think  it  wise,  in  both  diar- 
rhoea and  dysentery,  to  make  sure  that  the  bowels  are  free 
from  offending  matter,  and  would  commence  the  treat- 
ment with  castor  oil  or  syrup  of  buckthorn  and  enough 
laudanum  to  relieve  pain. 

"When  dysentery  tends  to  become  chronic,  small  doses 
of  ipecacuanha,  one  to  three  grains  of  the  powder,  or 
three  to  eight  drops  of  the  wine  every  one  to  two  hours, 
may  be  tried.  It  is  frequently  a  most  obstinate  disease, 
and  much  depends  on  judicious  nursing  and  feeding. 

In  all  these  inflammatory  affections  pain  may  be  severe 
and  lasting,  and  may  kill  the  animal  by  disordering  the 
nervous  centers,  in  consequence  of  which  the  nutrition 
(metabolism)  is  perverted  and  the  main  centers  of  life, 
the  heart  center  especially,  worn  out,  so  that  the  indica- 
tion above  all  others  is  to  relieve-  pain.  This  can  be  done 
by  warm  applications,  counter-irritation,  and  opiates.  Some 
recommend  leeches  and  blood-letting.  We  doubt  if  either 
is  practicable  or  judicious  with  the  dog,  but  have  no  very 
positive  opinion  based  on  experience. 

Constipation  may  coexist  with  either  gastritis  or  en- 
teritis. It  is  not  to  be  too  soon  relieved  with  drugs ; 
better  far  to  use  enemas,  at  least  while  the  acute  symp- 
toms last. 

In  peritonitis,  opium  in  some  form  is  still  the  sheet- 
anchor.  Constipation  is  commonly  present,  and  may  be 


INFLAMMATION  OF  THE  DIGESTIVE   ORGANS.     265 

relieved  after  one  to  two  days  with  an  enema,  but  not 
with  a  purgative. 

Hot  applications  are  of  great  value ;  some  believe  in  the 
administration  of  turpentine  internally ;  better,  we  think, 
by  the  rectum  in  soap-suds  and  olive  oil,  when,  in  small 
quantities,  it  may  relieve  constipation  and  flatulent  disten- 
tion.  Some  also  recommend  ice-cold  applications.  The 
great  indication  is  quiet,  external  and  internal,  and  the 
relief  of  pain  by  opiates.  The  heart  must  be  carefully 
watched,  and,  if  it  threatens  to  fail,  stimulants — by  the 
stomach,  if  possible — if  not,  by  the  bowel — must  be  given. 
Milk,  eggs,  and  brandy  make  an  excellent  combination. 

"When  it  is  remembered  how  great  in  extent  is  the 
surface  of  the  peritoneum,  covering  as  it  does  not  only 
the  walls  of  the  abdomen,  the  under  surface  of  the  dia- 
phragm, but  also  nearly  all  the  organs  of  the  abdominal 
cavity,  the  gravity  of  an  inflammation  of  a  large  portion 
of  it  is  very  evident. 

During  convalescence  special  attention  must  be  paid  to 
supplying  a  nutritious  diet  and  to  the  use  of  tonics. 

It  is  important  that  the  dog  be  fed  for  a  while  about 
three  times  a  day,  and  in  moderate  quantities  only  at  each 
meal,  to  avoid  distention  of  the  stomach  or  intestines, 
which  may,  if  it  occurs,  be  a  cause  of  lasting  trouble.  The 
dog  must,  in  fact,  be  for  some  time  carefully  guarded  as 
to  exercise,  housing,  and  all  that  relates  to  his  well-being, 
including  the  maintenance  of  a  good  deal  of  self-esteem  and 
cheerfulness,  for  the  effect  of  the  psychic  nature  over  the 
body  in  well-bred  dogs  is  very  great ;  indeed,  a  fact  that 
must  ever  be  kept  in  mind  in  treating  them  in  health  and 
in  disease. 


206  THE  BOG  IN  DISEASE. 

In  all  cases  when  the  strength  begins  to  fail,  the  most 
nutritious  and  easily-digested  food  should  be  given,  and 
alcoholic  stimulants,  either  alone  in  water  or  mixed  with 
the  food,  especially  if  the  latter  must  be  forced  on  the  ani- 
mal, or  in  injections  by  the  rectum  of  broths,  eggnog,  etc. 

In  threatened  collapse,  stimulants  are  plainly  indicated. 

FUNCTIONAL  DISEASE   OF  THE  LIVER. 

Jaundice,  the  retention  or  reabsorption  of  the  constitu- 
ents of  bile,  results  from  failure  of  the  liver  to  do  its 
work,  whether  this  arises  from  organic  disease  or  merely 
from  functional  disturbance  or  obstruction  to  the  outflow 
of  bile.  To  the  latter  we  now  more  especially  refer. 

Causation. — Chills,  caused  by  bad  management ;  inju- 
dicious feeding ;  obstruction  to  the  discharge  of  bile  from 
the  li ver  cells ;  the  poison  of  certain  diseases,  as  distemper ; 
exhaustion  from  violent  exercise,  especially  if  left  without 
grooming  afterward,  etc. 

Symptoms. — Usually  the  mucous  membranes  show,  by 
their  staining  with  bile  pigment  present  in  the  blood,  the 
true  nature  of  the  trouble.  The  animal  is  dull,  appetite 
falls  off  or  becomes  capricious,  urine  high-colored  and 
contains  bile  pigment.  The  stools  are  characteristic,  being 
lacking  in  color,  of  a  gray,  dirty  appearance,  and  usually 
tough,  pasty  consistence ;  often  fetid.  There  may  be  diar- 
rhoea, but  usually  constipation. 

Treatment. — The  dog  is  to  be  made  very  comfortable, 
and  protected  from  draughts ;  gentle  but  regular  exercise 
is  to  be  given ;  food  to  be  supplied  in  small  quantity  and 
of  a  very  bland  character,  as  rice  and  milk,  stale  bread 
and  milk,  biscuits,  etc.  Fatty  food  is  to  be  avoided  strict- 


ORGANIC  AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  LIVER.  267 

ly.     Buttermilk  is  useful.     Massage  over  the  abdomen 
may  prove  valuable  after  the  first  few  days. 

Gray  powder  or  calomel  in  small  doses  (half  a  grain  of 
calomel)  three  to  five  times  a  day ;  the  compound  rhubarb 
pill,  after  a  previous  dose  of  one  compound  cathartic  pill, 
followed  by  a  saline  the  next  morning ;  powders  of  rhu- 
barb and  the  bicarbonate  of  soda,  or  the  following : 

]jfc  Tinct.  rhei.  co §  jss. ; 

Sod.  bicarb §  j ; 

Tinct.  gent,  co §  jss. ; 

Syrup,  aurantii §  ij  > 

Aquae ad   ^  wj- 

Ft.  mist. 

Sig. :  Dessertspoonful  a  short  time  before  food  three 
times  a  day. 

Taraxacum  may  also  be  tried ;  it  often  does  good. 
If  there  be  pain  from  the  obstruction  of  the  ducts  by 
gall-stones  or  other  cause,  morphia  or  Dover's  powder  is 
indicated.  It  is  also  advisable  in  all  such  cases  to  apply 
simple  hot  fomentations,  turpentine  stupes,  or  the  former 
sprinkled  with  laudanum. 

ORGANIC  AFFECTIONS  OF  THE  LIVER. 

Hepatitis  (inflammation  of  the  liver)  of  an  acute  form 
is  rare,  except  in  tropical  countries — at  all  events,  when 
not  due  to  blows,  etc.  The  causes  are  obscure,  and  the 
diagnosis  not  always  easy.  Tenderness  over  the  liver  on 
pressure,  more  or  less  pain,  digestive  disturbances,  foul 
breath,  altered  respiration,  lying  on  the  chest  and  belly, 
probably  jaundice,  with  characteristic  stools,  and  febrile 

symptoms.     If  enlargement  of  the  liver  can  be  made  out 
19 


268  THE  BOG  IN  DISEASE. 

by  physical  examination,  with  such  a  train  of  symptoms, 
the  diagnosis  between  this  disease  and  gastritis  or  enteritis 
is  pretty  clear. 

Treatment. — Much  the  same  as  for  jaundice  induced 
functionally,  though  no  line  of  treatment  by  drugs  has 
given  much  satisfaction.  Attention  must  be  paid  espe- 
cially to  the  diet  and  surroundings. 

The  termination  of  the  disease  in  abscess  of  the  liver 
is  not  uncommon,  and  usually  proves  fatal.  When  pus 
forms,  attention  must  be  paid  to  maintenance  of  the 
strength  with  the  most  concentrated  foods,  quinine,  and, 
if  the  stomach  will  bear  it,  cod-liver  oil,  while  alcoholic 
stimulants,  that  are  strongly  contra-indicated  in  the  early 
stages,  may  now  prove  essential. 

Chronic  Hepatitis  usually  gives  rise  to  dropsy,  and  a 
whole  host  of  evils  which  commonly  end  in  death.  The 
symptoms  must  be  combated  as  they  arise,  as  it  is  impos- 
sible to  do  much  with  drugs  by  direct  action  on  the 
affected  organ.  Occasional  minute  doses  of  calomel  or 
corrosive  sublimate  (one  thirtieth  of  a  grain)  or  iodide  of 
potassium  (one  to  two  grains)  may  be  tried,  given  two  or 
three  times  daily. 

When  disease  of  the  liver  is  due  to  parasites,  the  only 
course  is  to  treat  the  case  according  to  the  symptoms 
presenting,  in  the  hope  that  the  cause  of  the  disease  may 
be  thrown  off,  which  rarely  happens. 

DEGENERATION  OF  THE  LIVER. 

The  form  most  common  in  the  dog  is  fatty  degenera- 
tion, which  may  be  found  in  animals  no  longer  young  that 
have  been  overfed  and  little  exercised.  A  cure  is  rare, 


CANCER  OF  ABDOMINAL  ORGANS.       269 

but  something  may  be  done  to  mitigate  the  symptoms. 
Dieting,  with  special  reference  to  both  quantity  and  qual- 
ity of  food,  is  of  the  greatest  importance.  Ko  fatty  or 
starchy  foods  should  be  given  for  a  time,  and  as  little  as 
possible  later.  The  animal  should  be  fed  on  a  limited 
quantity  of  meat,  on  sweet  milk  and  on  buttermilk. 

If  the  liver  is  greatly  deranged,  its  glycogenic  func- 
tion may  be  altered  —  i.  e.,  its  manufacture  of  animal 
starch,  and  the  distribution  of  this  to  the  body  as  sugar 
by  the  medium  of  the  blood.  "When  this  function  is 
disordered,  dieting  is  the  chief  reliance,  and  all  saccharine 
and  starchy  food  must,  as  far  as  possible,  be  withheld. 
Skim-milk  is  useful. 

CANCER  OF  ABDOMINAL  ORGANS. 

In  dogs  past  their  prime,  and  especially  in  old  animals, 
cancer  is  not  so  very  rare.  It  does  not  commonly  attack 
the  liver  primarily,  but  more  frequently  the  stomach  or 
upper  part  of  the  small  intestine  (duodenum)^  though  it 
is  rarely  confined  to  these  regions  unless  death  speedily 
ensues. 

The  symptoms  indicate  serious  disturbance  of  the  di- 
gestive processes  and  great  irritability  of  the  digestive 
organs ;  hence  vomiting,  tenderness  on  pressure,  loss  of 
appetite,  capricious  appetite,  and,  as  properly  elaborated 
material  is  not  supplied  by  the  digestive  tract  to  the  blood, 
there  is  wasting  and  loss  of  strength,  which  the  misery 
augments. 

Cancer  is  generally,  but  not  always,  a  painful  disease. 
It  is,  perhaps,  invariably  fatal,  and  the  only  thing  the  prac- 
titioner can  do  is  to  make  the  patient  as  comfortable  as 


270  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

possible,  relieve  pain,  vomiting,  etc.     The  diet  must,  of 
course,  be  specially  studied. 

It  is  important  for  purposes  of  diagnosis  to  get  the 
animal  to  submit  quietly  to  a  careful  palpation  of  the 
abdomen,  as  very  often  an  enlargement  of  some  organ,  or 
possibly  adhesions,  etc.,  may  be  detected,  and  when  the 
diagnosis  is  certain,  the  case  is  so  hopeless  that,  if  there 
is  much  wretchedness  or  rapid  wasting,  it  may  be  kindness 
to  chloroform  the  animal  to  death. 

INTESTINAL  OBSTRUCTION. 

This  serious  and  generally  fatal  condition  may  be  due 
to  foreign  bodies,  faecal  masses,  the  passage  of  one  portion 
of  the  gut  within  another  (intussusception),  twisting  of 
the  gut,  or  constriction,  the  result  of  peritonitis  or  some 
other  form  of  inflammation,  and  kindred  causes. 

Symptoms. — Usually  constipation,  which  may  be  pre- 
ceded by  diarrhoea,  increasing  pain  of  a  colicky  character, 
general  disturbance,  flatulent  distention,  haggard  expres- 
sion, vomiting,  which  may  increase  in  severity  till  bile, 
and  later  faecal  matter,  is  regurgitated,  prostration,  etc. 

Diagnosis. — At  first  obscure.  The  abdomen  should 
always  be  carefully  palpated,  with  the  view  of  detecting 
tumors  within.  When  there  is  vomiting  of  faecal  matters, 
or  prolonged  vomiting  in  the  absence  of  the  other  symp- 
toms of  gastritis,  obstruction  should  be  suspected. 

Prognosis. — Yery  bad ;  the  disease  generally  proves 
fatal.  Occasionally  the  affected  part  sloughs  away  (drops 
off),  and  natural  union  of  the  adjacent  parts  follows. 

Treatment  should  be  directed  to  allaying  irritation  by 
emptying  the  bowel  beyond  the  obstruction  by  copious 


DISEASED  CONDITIONS  AROUND  THE  ANUS.      271 

enemas ;  but  in  no  case  should  purgatives  be  given,  as  in 
the  nature  of  the  case  they  must  aggravate  the  symptoms 
and  endanger  the  patient.  Pain  must  be  allayed  by  fo- 
mentations and  opiates,  rest  enforced,  and  vomiting  quieted 
if  possible. 

If  a  positive  diagnosis  can  be  made  moderately  early, 
surgical  procedure  is  indicated.  The  dog  bears  opening 
the  abdominal  cavity  well.  But  this  should  be  under- 
taken only  by  skillful  hands,  under  strict  antiseptic  pre- 
cautions, and  after  the  operation  the  dog  should  be  con- 
stantly watched,  in  a  suitable  compartment,  by  a  discreet 
person,  for  at  least  twenty-four  hours. 

In  some,  cases  opening  into  the  abdomen  will  be  justi- 
fiable as  a  diagnostic  measure.  Very  often  a  portion  of 
intestine  will  require  excision  and  the  cut  ends  brought 
together  by  careful  suturing.  It  is  most  important  that  ex 
treme  cleanliness  be  observed,  lest  inflammation  of  fearful 
violence  may  be  lighted  up,  or  blood  poisoning  intervene. 

DISEASED    CONDITIONS    AROUND    THE    ANUS. 

Prolapse  of  the  rectum — i.  e.,  extrusion  of  a  part  of 
the  gut — owing  to  a  variety  of  relaxing  and  debilitating 
causes,  as  constipation,  piles,  etc.,  occasionally  occurs. 
The  indication  is  to  reduce  or  put  back  the  gut  as  soon  as 
possible,  before  swelling,  inflammation,  or  death  and 
sloughing  of  the  part  takes  place. 

The  gut  should  be  washed  clean  from  dirt  with  an 
antiseptic  solution  of  weak  carbolic  acid  or  corrosive  sub- 
limate (1  in  2,000),  the  former  preferred  on  account  of  its 
sedative  action.  There  is  no  objection  to  adding  a  little 
laudanum  or  morphia,  to  still  more  allay  irritation.  The 


272  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

gut  should  be  gently  pressed  back,  the  hind  part  of  the 
animal's  body  elevated,  then  some  cold  water,  or  a  solution 
made  slightly  astringent  with  tannic  acid,  injected  gently 
and  retained  for  a  short  time.  The  patient  should  have 
twenty  grains  of  Dover's  powder  or  a  hypodermic  injec- 
tion of  a  quarter  of  a  grain  of  morphia,  to  induce  quiet 
and  relieve  pain. 

If  the  intestine  still  tends  to  protrude,  a  special  dress- 
ing or  extemporized  truss  must  be  applied.  ~No  exercise 
should  be  allowed  for  some  days,  and  then  only  gently. 
The  bowels  should  be  confined,  and  the  diet  nutritious  and 
concentrated,  but  not  abundant. 

Piles  are  not  uncommon  in  old  dogs,  especially  if 
neglected.  The  circulation  is  weak,  and  if  the  strength 
fails  becomes  still  weaker,  so  that  injudicious  management 
— as  lack  of  exercise  or  a  diet  favoring  constipation — leads 
to  that  portal  (venous)  congestion  which  tends  to  induce  all 
sorts  of  digestive  disorders.  Any  pressure,  as  from  fseces, 
on  the  large  gut  tends  to  keep  the  veins  over  full,  leads  to 
loss  of  elasticity  of  their  walls,  slowing  of  the  blood-cur- 
rent, coagulation  within  them,  inflammation,  ulceration, 
etc.  Especially  is  this  the  case  if  the  piles  protrude  from 
the  anus.  Blood  in  the  stools,  straining,  licking  the  anus, 
dragging  the  hind  parts,  should  lead  one  to  suspect  piles. 
So  long  as  the  piles  are  internal  there  is  more  hope  of  re- 
lieving the  condition  by  medical  treatment;  when  ex- 
ternal, surgical  measures  will  generally  be  required. 

Treatment. — The  indication  is  to  remove  the  cause  and 
allay  irritation.  Such  food  should  be  given  as  will  of 
itself  relax  the  bowel — as  oatmeal  or  wheat-meal  porridge 
with  milk,  boiled  liver,  or  vegetables.  A  cure  is  hastened 


DISEASED   CONDITIONS  AROUND  THE  ANUS.      273 

by  the  administration  of  laxatives,  one  of  the  best  of  which 
is  sulphur,  which  dogs  will  generally  take,  when  real  hun- 
gry, in  porridge,  with  milk  or  broth,  or  even  in  the  ordi- 
nary food ;  but  if  not,  it  may  be  given  mixed  up  in  mo- 
lasses, either  with  or  without  cream  of  tartar. 

External  piles  may  be  treated  with  astringent  and 
sedative  washes,  as  a  combination  of  tannic  acid,  glycerin, 
laudanum,  and  water ;  or  with  ointments  of  a  similar 
character,  as  the  officinal  compound  tannic-acid  ointment, 
or  one  composed  of  oxide  of  zinc  with  extract  of  bella- 
donna or  stramonium,  etc. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  muzzle  the  dog  to  prevent  his 
licking  these  off.  The  following  will  indicate  the  nature 
of  such  combinations : 

9  Unguent,  zinci  ox §  i j  ; 

Ext.  belladon 3 ij- 

M.     Sig. :  Apply  three  times  daily. 

$  Acidi  tannici 1  ss. ; 

Morph.  sulph gr.  vj  ; 

Glycerin 5  jss- ; 

Aquae ad    §  iv. 

Sig. :  Apply  this  lotion  several  times  a  day. 

When  there  is  a  tendency  to  inflammation  without 
actual  ulceration,  the  officinal  compound  lead  ointment  is 
very  soothing. 

/Surgical  measures  are  called  for  when  such  as  the  pre- 
ceding fail. 

Ligature  and  excision,  or  preferably  the  use  of  the 
thermo-cautery  or  the  electro-cautery,  the  little  tumors 
being  grasped  by  a  suitable  clamp,  have  given  good 


274  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

results.  The  dangers  to  be  feared  after  operation  are 
blood-poisoning,  inflammation — as  peritonitis,  etc. — and 
haemorrhage. 

After  operation,  ice  in  cloths,  held  to  the  anus  for 
some  time,  has  proved  useful  in  warding  off  these  evils. 
The  patient  must  be  kept  quiet  and  free  from  pain  and 
the  bowels  confined. 

Growths  around  the  anus  are  mostly  epithelial  in  char- 
acter, as  warts  or  polypi.  When  small,  their  treatment 
may  be  similar  to  that  adopted  when  found  in  the  mouth 
or  other  parts  (see  page  247) ;  but  when  large,  more  care 
must  be  taken,  as  haemorrhage  may  be  difficult  to  control. 

Excision,  with  the  use  of  the  thermo-cautery  just  after- 
ward, may  be  demanded. 

The  differential  diagnosis  between  such  growths  and 
cancer  should  not  be  difficult  when  the  history  and  age  of 
the  animal  are  known.  Cancerous  growths,  except  during 
degeneration,  are  usually  very  firm.  Cancer  rarely  attacks 
animals  in  their  prime. 

Perineal  Abscess  and  Fistula  in  ano  are  closely  related. 
Pus  collected  in  the  region  of  the  perineum  and  consti- 
tuting abscess  is  very  liable,  if  not  freely  evacuated  early, 
to  affect  the  bowel  and  ultimately  lead  to  an  opening  into 
it,  constituting  fistula,  which  is  said  to  be  Hind  when 
there  is  no  external  opening  through  the  perinseum.  The 
indication  is  to  open  the  abscess  and  evacuate  the  pus  by  a 
free  incision. 

Fistula  is  rarely  cured  except  by  opening  up  the  bowel 
and  perineum,  which  can  be  done  well  by  passing  a 
grooved  director  through  the  external  opening  and  then 
through  the  internal,  turning  the  inner  end  out  through 


DISEASES  OF  THE   URINARY  SYSTEM. 

the  anus  by  the  finger  and  incising  all  the  parts  that  lie 
between  the  director  and  the  exterior.  A  poultice  or 
fomentation  may  be  necessary  for  a  short  time  afterward, 
and  a  little  iodoform  dusted  on  will  tend  to  keep  the  parts 
sweet  and  facilitate  healing.  The  diet  should  be  simple 
and  the  bowels  confined  for  a  few  days. 

DISEASES  OF  THE  URINARY  SYSTEM. 

We  direct  attention  to  certain  anatomical  and  physi- 
ological facts  important  to  bear  in  mind.  Urine  is  se- 
creted by  the  kidneys,  a  pair  of  organs  situated  in  the 
loin  (lumbar  region),  which  are  composed  of  a  great  vari- 
ety of  tubes  of  different  shape  and  size,  provided  with 
numerous  kinds  of  lining  cells  which  secrete  the  constitu- 
ents of  urine,  the  whole  of  each  organ  being  abundantly 
supplied  with  blood-vessels,  lymphatics,  and  nerves.  Urine 
is  secreted  constantly,  and  carried  off  to  the  bladder  by  a 
main  duct  (ureter)  leading  from  each  kidney. 

The  bladder  is  the  receptacle  for  urine — a  muscular 
organ  situated  in  the  pelvis,  and  lined  with  a  mucous  mem- 
brane. It  communicates  with  the  exterior  by  a  tube  or 
duct  (urethra)  of  small  dimensions,  which  passes  in  the 
male  through  the  penis,  but  in  the  female  it  is  short  and 
opens  into  the  vagina. 

The  urine  of  the  dog  is  decidedly  acid,  of  high  specific 
gravity  (1030  to  1050),  clear  and  yellow,  so  that  any  dark 
color,  turbidity,  any  stickiness  from  mucus,  etc.,  should 
attract  attention  as  probable  evidence  of  disease  of  some 
part  of  the  urinary  tract. 

Other  symptoms  which  should  lead  to  a  suspicion  of 
disturbance  of  this  part  of  the  dog's  system  are  frequent 


276  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

or  painful  urination  (micturition),  dribbling  or  retention 
of  urine,  an  awkward  or  straddling  gait,  tenderness  over 
any  portion  of  the  urinary  tract,  nausea,  febrile  symp- 
toms, etc. 

None  of  these  troubles  are  common  in  the  dog ;  hap- 
pily so,  as  treatment  in  bad  cases  is  difficult  to  carry  out. 

Retention  of  Urine  may  arise  from  reflex  spasm  of  the 
neck  of  the  bladder  or  urethra,  from  swelling  of  the  mu- 
cous membrane  of  the  urethra,  enlargement  of  the  pros- 
tate gland,  pressure  on  the  urethra  or  swelling  of  this 
part  from  sexual  excitement,  traumatism  (injury),  the 
abuse  of  certain  drugs,  as  cantharides,  etc.  Occasionally 
an  excitable  young  dog  after  a  long  journey  with  confine- 
ment in  a  crate,  or  from  the  excitement  of  new  surround- 
ings, as  in  a  bench-show,  will  be  unable  to  empty  the 
bladder.  Generally  he  will  do  so  if  he  be  removed  to  an 
extremely  quiet  place,  given  perfect  freedom,  and  has  his 
mind  diverted  from  what  has  been  engrossing  his  atten- 
tion and  is  soothed  by  words  and  caresses.  However,  if 
these  fail,  and  the  bladder  is  much  distended,  a  warm  bath 
should  be  given.  The  dog  should  be  caused  to  sit  on  his 
haunches  in  a  tub  with  enough  water,  as  hot  as  can  be 
borne,  to  reach  above  his  loins,  for  twenty  to  thirty 
minutes.  He  should  then  be  rubbed  dry,  and  kept  warm 
as  a  precaution  against  catching  cold.  If  he  still  suffers, 
he  may  be  given  fifteen  grains  of  Dover's  powder  and 
twenty  grains  of  bromide  of  potassium.  If  the  case  grows 
urgent,  an  attempt  to  pass  a  catheter  should  be  made.  In 
the  female  this  is  not  difficult,  and  the  ordinary  metal  in- 
strument used  in  human  practice  will  serve  the  purpose, 
or  a  gum-elastic  catheter  suitable  to  the  size  of  the  bitch. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  URINARY  SYSTEM.  277 

In  the  male  dog  reaching  the  bladder  in  this  way  is 
not  easy ;  a  small  gum-elastic  catheter  will  be  required. 
The  dog  should  be  laid  on  his  side,  the  instrument  warmed 
in  hot  water  and  well  oiled,  gently  passed  in  till  its  point 
can  be  felt  with  one  finger  in  the  rectum,  when  it  may  be 
guided  onward  into  the  bladder. 

This  operation  is  to  be  avoided  if  possible,  as  it  is 
neither  easy  to  the  manipulator  nor  agreeable  to  the  dog ; 
and  if  there  be  much  struggling,  harm  may  follow  the 
attempt. 

In  extreme  cases  ether  may  be  given,  and,  if  the  cathe- 
ter can  not  be  passed,  an  opening  made  into  the  bladder  to 
save  life  ;  otherwise  rupture  of  the  bladder  and  inflamma- 
tion following  this,  if  not  sudden  death,  or  ursemic  poison- 
ing result  from  retention  of  the  material  in  the  blood 
which  the  kidneys  should  remove ;  but  it  is  seldom  in- 
deed that  the  treatment  with  opiates  or  the  hot  bath  will 
not  suffice. 

Suppositories  in  the  above  and  other  painful  affections 
of  this  region  will  be  of  great  service  if  they  can  be  re- 
tained in  the  rectum. 

As  an  example  of  a  suitable  combination  we  offer  the 
following : 

Jfc  Pulv.  opii gr.  vj  ; 

Ext.  belladon gr.  iij  ; 

Ol.  theobrom 3  ij. 

M.  Ft.  suppos.  no.  vi.  Use  one  every  two  to  six 
hours,  as  needed  to  relieve  pain. 

Hot  injections  by  the  rectum  of  warm  water  medicated 
with  laudanum  or  belladonna  often  prove  very  useful. 

The  dog  may  suffer  from  inflammation  of  the  kidney 


278  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

itself  (nephritis),  of  the  bladder  (cystitis),  or  from  renal 
or  cystic  calculi. 

As  these  are  not  very  common  affections,  a  general 
account,  so  as  to  enable  a  differential  diagnosis  to  be 
made,  will  suffice. 

The  history  of  the  case  is  important,  and  in  all  in- 
stances a  careful  physical  examination  should  be  made, 
to  establish  local  tenderness  if  present,  bladder  disten- 
tion,  etc. 

Tenderness  over  the  loins  when  rheumatism  can  be  ex- 
cluded points  to  the  kidney ;  tenderness  above  the  pubes 
(between  the  thighs)  to  the  bladder. 

Ordinarily,  percussion  does  not  discover  the  dullness  of 
the  bladder,  but  on  distention  it  should,  while  at  the  same 
time  the  hand  may  be  able  to  make  out  a  somewhat  globu- 
lar tumor. 

Differential  Diagnosis. — In  acute  nephritis  the  kid- 
neys are  swollen,  and  there  may  be  escape  of  an  albumin- 
ous fluid  from  the  vessels,  and  of  red  blood-cells  as  well  as 
leucocytes  ;  hence  albuminous  urine,  bloody  urine,  tender- 
ness over  the  loins,  with  febrile  symptoms,  suggest  acute 
nephritis. 

Blood  makes  the  urine  "  smoky  "  or  brown  in  appear- 
ance. Blood  may  be  positively  diagnosticated  by  the 
microscope,  or,  better,  with  the  spectroscope. 

In  Acute  Cystitis,  tenderness  over  the  loins  is  not  so 
likely  to  exist,  though  pain  may  radiate  in  various  direc- 
tions, and  tenderness  over  the  bladder  is  nearly  always 
present.  The  urine  is  not  so  likely  to  contain  blood,  but 
the  urine  may  be  turbid,  alkaline,  or  contain  excess  of 
mucus,  which  is  not  to  be  mistaken  for  albumin,  which 


DISEASES  OF  THE  URINARY  SYSTEM.  279 

never  constitutes  a  sediment,  but  is  detected  by  boiling 
the  urine  and  adding  enough  nitric  acid  to  make  it  de- 
cidedly acid  in  reaction.  If  albumin  be  present,  there  will 
be  coagulation. 

In  Chronic  Cystitis  the  urine  is  often  decomposed  and 
alkaline  when  passed. 

In  Nephritis  there  may  be  frequent  micturition  from 
extension  of  the  irritation  from  the  kidney  to  the  bladder, 
the  alteration  in  the  urine,  etc. ;  but  in  cystitis  there  is 
always  more  or  less  trouble  in  this  way.  If  there  be 
abscess  of  the  kidney,  pus  will  appear  in  abundance  in  the 
urine. 

Renal  Calculus  is  often  difficult  to  diagnose ;  but  irregu- 
larity in  the  symptoms,  with  at  times  great  pain  and  gen- 
eral tenderness  over  the  kidney,  are  highly  suggestive. 

Cystic  Calculus,  or  stone  in  the  bladder,  is  also  marked 
by  aggravation  of  the  symptoms  at  times,  possibly  blood 
in  the  urine,  occasional  retention  of  urine  it  may  be,  pain, 
etc.  Small  calculi  may  block  the  urethra  and  necessitate 
urethrotomy,  or  cutting  into  the  urethra.  While  acute 
nephritis  may  be  set  up  by  cold,  drugs  like  turpentine 
and  cantharides,  which  should  be  used  in  the  case  of  the 
dog  with  extreme  caution,  the  forms  of  chronic  nephritis 
so  common  in  man  are  of  extreme  rarity  in  the  dog. 

Treatment. — In  all  these  diseases  warm  and  in  every 
way  comfortable  quarters  are  essential.  Food  must  be 
always  easily  digestible  and  unstimulating,  but  in  the  later 
stages  of  acute  affections  (convalescence),  and  in  chronic 
affections,  highly  nourishing.  In  acute  disease  demulcent 
drinks,  and  in  cystitis  milk  and  lime-water,  are  especially 
indicated.  In  all,  it  is  important  to  relieve  pain  with 


280  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Dover's  powder,  suppositories,  medicated  injections,  fo- 
mentations, hot  baths,  etc. 

With  care  and  ordinary  good  medical  treatment,  acute 
nephritis  and  cystitis  tend  to  get  well. 

The  chronic  form  of  cystitis,  and  all  affections  depend- 
ent on  calculi  (stones,  concretions),  are  very  troublesome. 

If  stone  in  the  bladder  can  be  positively  diagnosticated, 
an  operation  may  prove  successful;  but  there  are  great 
risks. 

Washing  out  the  bladder  of  the  female  dog  with  anti- 
septic and  soothing  warm  solutions — as  warm  water  con- 
taining boric  (boracic)  acid  or  carbolic  acid,  with  a  little 
morphia — is  practicable,  but  not  in  the  male,  it  is  feared. 
Attention  must  be  directed  to  maintaining  the  strength 
with  tonics,  good  food,  etc. 

If  from  any  cause  ursemic  poisoning  is  threatened,  the 
bowels  must  be  moved  very  freely.  For  this  purpose 
jalap,  in  doses  of  fifteen  to  twenty-five  grains,  answers; 
but  calomel  must  on  no  account  be  used,  as  it  is  especially 
liable  to  salivate.  The  purpose  is  to  divert  blood  from 
the  head  and  eliminate  the  poison.  Warm  baths  should 
also  be  tried,  keeping  the  head  cool. 

DISEASES   OF  THE   GENITAL  ORGANS. 

These  are  mostly  of  the  nature  of  inflammations  and 
their  consequences,  and  morbid  growths. 

Inflammation  of  the  passage  from  the  bladder  for  the 
discharge  of  urine  (urethra}^  termed  urethritis,  occasion- 
ally occurs  in  the  dog  as  a  result  of  irritation  from  some 
cause,  including  coitus  with  bitches  similarly  affected,  or 
from  unhealthy  discharges  of  some  part  of  the  genital 


DISEASES  OF  THE  GENITAL  ORGANS.  281 

tract,  from  retained  secretions  in  inflammations  of  the 
sheath,  etc. 

Some  writers  claim  that  the  dog  may  have,  like  hu- 
man beings,  the  specific  inflammation  known  as  gonor- 
rhoea from  sexual  intercourse,  and  even  syphilis.  The 
subject  is  worthy  of  further  investigation. 

The  symptoms  of  urethritis  are  uneasiness,  possibly 
painful  micturition,  licking  the  penis,  and  especially  a 
muco-purulent  whitish  or  yellowish  discharge,  which  can 
be  traced  within  the  penis — i.  e.,  to  the  urethra. 

Balanitis  is  an  inflammation  of  the  sheath  (prepuce) 
covering  the  penis.  The  symptoms  are  as  in  the  preced- 
ing, except  that  the  urethral  discharge  is  not  a  part  of 
this  disease,  though  the  two  may  be  associated,  as  they 
not  infrequently  are. 

The  sheath  is  swollen,  tender,  and  soon  gives  rise  to  a 
muco-purulent  discharge.  The  dog  is  disgustingly  atten- 
tive to  his  genitals  when  they  are  affected. 

If  not  relieved,  the  prepuce  may  become  swollen  to 
such  a  degree  as  to  prevent  the  extrusion  of  the  penis, 
(phimosis)  and  may  even  in  some  degree  interfere  with 
the  passage  of  urine. 

Occasionally,  from  long-continued  sexual  excitement, 
etc.,  the  prepuce  prevents  the  return  of  the  penis  within 
the  sheath  (paraphimosis),  and  the  former  becomes  greatly 
swollen,  and,  in  its  exposed  condition,  liable  to  abrasions 
and  ulcerations.  The  latter  are  apt  to  occur  from  pent-up 
discharges,  as  in  balanitis,  so  that  the  whole  may  become 
very  offensive  to  the  associates  of  the  dog,  and  a  source  of 
worry  and  humiliation  to  himself.  The  animal  always 
licks  the  parts,  his  own  method  of  cleansing  and  relieving 


282  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

pain  and  irritation.  Inflammation  may  extend  to  the  cov- 
ering of  the  testicles  (scrotum),  or  this  may  arise  inde- 
pendently in  old  dogs,  and  requires  attention  lest  the 
parts  become  the  seat  of  malignant  disease,  as  cancer  or 
sarcoma.  Balanitis  in  chronic  form  is  common. 

Treatment. — The  indication  in  all  these  cases  is  to  re- 
lieve irritation,  both  from  the  actual  inflammation  and 
from  the  discharges.  The  sheath  should  be  kept  clean 
by  frequent  washing  with  warm  water  or  injecting  up 
into  it  from  a  syringe  the'  same,  and,  if  this  does  not 
answer  of  itself,  astringent  and  soothing  solutions,  such 
as  tannic  acid,  sulphate  of  zinc,  acetate  of  lead,  etc., 
which  are  all  the  more  effective  if  some  glycerin  be 
added. 

A  very  good  plan  is  to  insert  a  little  surgeon's  lint  or 
some  cotton-wool  dipped  in  the  astringent  solution  within 
the  sheath  for  twenty  minutes.  The  addition  of  laudanum 
or  morphia  to  the  cleansing  water  or  to  the  astringent 
lotion  will  be  helpful. 

In  the  case  of  urethritis,  it  will  be  necessary  to  inject 
one  of  these  solutions  after  the  use  of  very  warm  water 
into  the  urethra. 

Such  combinations  as  the  following  will  illustrate  how 
useful  lotions  may  be  made  : 

9  Tinct.  opii 3  iv ; 

Acid.  acet.  dil 3  j ; 

Liq.  plumbi  subacetat §  j ; 

Aquae ad   §  viij. 

Ft.  mist. 

Sig. :  Apply  or  inject  from  two  to  four  teaspoonfuls 
three  to  six  times  a  day. 


DISEASES  OP  THE  GENITAL  ORGANS  283 

$  Acid,  tannic 3  j  ; 

[Acid,  carbolic gr.  xxx ; 

Morph.  sulph gr.  iv ; 

Glycerin §  jss. ; 

Aquae ad   5  v j- 

Ft.  mist. 

Sig. :  Apply  as  the  preceding. 

Instead  of  the  tannic  acid,  thirty  grains  of  sulphate  of 
zinc  may  be  substituted  in  the  above. 

It  is  to  be  remembered  that  it  is  often  desirable  to 
change  a  lotion  good  in  itself  after  it  has  been  used  a  cer- 
tain time,  as  it  loses  effect. 

When  there  is  much  pain,  Dover's  powder,  with  bro- 
mide of  potassium,  may  be  given,  or  the  soothing  enemeta 
or  suppositories  referred  to  previously  (see  page  277) 
employed. 

The  bowels  should  not  be  confined,  but  rather  relaxed 
by  suitable  diet,  or,  if  necessary,  laxatives.  Sometimes 
tonics  and  a  complete  change  in  the  surroundings  will  do 
the  dog  much  good.  But  little  exercise  should  be  given. 

"When  phimosis  or  parapkimosis  does  not  yield  to 
such  treatment,  a  warm  fomentation  sprinkled  with  lauda- 
num or  belladonna  should  be  applied  over  the  parts. 

As  a  last  resort  and  when  death  of  the  parts  (penis, 
etc.)  is  threatened,  all  attempts  at  replacing  the  organ 
having  failed,  the  sheath  must  be  slit  up  with  a  very  sharp 
knife  or  scissors  sufficiently  to  allow  the  return  of  the 
penis.  Circumcision  may  in  some  cases  be  necessary. 

It  is  ever  to  be  remembered,  however,  that  a  good 
surgeon  never  cuts  or  removes  parts  when  other  means 

suffice.     It  is  easy  to  mutilate,  but  better  to  restore. 
20 


284:  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

When  ulceration  occurs,  the  healing  process  may  be 
hastened  by  a  touch  with  a  crystal  of  sulphate  of  copper 
or  nitrate  of  silver.  lodoform  also  has  much  to  commend 
it.  It  may  be  necessary  to  muzzle  the  dog,  to  prevent  his 
licking  off  the  applications  and  injuring  himself  thereby ; 
but  muzzling  is  always  to  be  avoided  if  possible,  as  many 
animals  worry  under  it  to  a  degree  that  retards  restora- 
tion to  health.  As  the  scrotum  is  so  exposed,  it  will  often 
be  necessary  when  it  is  affected  to  cover  up  the  applica- 
tions by  a  dressing  that  may  be  kept  on  as  long  as  desired. 

Vulvitis,  or  inflammation  of  the  external  genitals,  cor- 
responds in  the  female  with  balanitis  in  the  male,  but  is 
more  readily  managed.  The  parts  are  to  be  kept  clean, 
and  treated  as  in  balanitis. 

Vaginitis,  or  inflammation  of  the  vagina  or  passage 
leading  to  the  womb,  when  taken  early,  yields  to  astrin- 
gent lotions,  etc. 

If  chronic,  attention  must  be  paid  to  building  up  the 
health  of  the  patient  with  tonics  and  the  best  of  food, 
housing,  etc. 

Morbid  Growths — as  warts,  polypi,  etc. — must  be  treated 
as  in  other  parts,  always  bearing  in  mind  that  the  genitals, 
especially  the  mucous  membranes,  are  very  abundantly 
supplied  with  blood  (vascular),  and  in  all  operations  about 
them  haemorrhage  is  to  be  guarded  against. 

Ligation  of  growths,  excision,  and  cauterization  are 
the  methods  usually  employed. 

Prolapse  of  the  Vagina,  or  eversion  of  the  uterus,  is  rare 
except  after  parturition  or  in  very  debilitated  bitches. 
The  treatment  is  much  as  in  prolapse  of  the  rectum  (see 
page  271). 


DISEASES  OF  THE  GENITAL  OEGANS.  285 

The  indications  are  a  speedy  replacement  of  the  part 
after  perfect  cleansing  and  disinfection,  retention  in  posi- 
tion, and  prevention  of  recurrence  of  the  accident.  Yery 
often  there  is  considerable  pain,  much  straining,  etc.  If 
the  stomach  is  not  irritable,  a  dose  of  morphia  or  a  hypo- 
dermic injection  may  be  given  at  once.  A  soothing  enema 
or  suppository  will  generally  be  useful. 

The  parts  should,  before  returning  them,  be  thoroughly 
cleansed  with  a  warm  solution  of  corrosive  sublimate  (1  to 
2,000)  or  weak  carbolic  lotion,  to  which  a  sedative — as 
laudanum,  belladonna,  conium,  etc. — has  been  added.  The 
hands  of  the  manipulator  should  also  be  well  washed  and 
disinfected  with  the  same  solution.  The  replacement 
should  be  effected  as  gently  and  speedily  as  possible,  and 
the  hand,  suitably  covered,  should,  if  necessary,  guard  the 
vulva  to  prevent  extrusion  afresh.  The  bowels  should 
be  opened  by  an  enema,  as  any  straining  will  almost  surely 
lead  to  another  prolapse. 

The  injection  of  cold  water  or  astringent  solutions  (as 
above)  will  tend  to  prevent  a  recurrence  of  this  evil. 

Tonics  should  be  given — as  the  pill  of  iron,  quinine, 
and  nux  vomica — unless  the  bitch  be  febrile,  when  quinine 
alone  will  be  better  for  the  present.  However,  the  gen- 
eral indications  must  be  followed.  Rigid  rules  are  only 
misleading. 

Metritis,  or  inflammation  of  the  womb  (uterus),  is  very 
rare  except  after  parturition,  when  it  becomes  a  most  seri- 
ous disease,  causing  the  death  of  many  valuable  bitches 
annually.  It  is  liable  to  follow  on  any  sort  of  injury, 
external  or  internal,  including  the  use  of  instruments, 
forcible  removal  of  the  after-birth  (jplacenta),  especially 


THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

if  the  bitch  has  been  much  exhausted  by  the  labor,  or  if 
any  source  of  infection  has  existed. 

The  symptoms  are  pain,  tenderness,  possibly  a  puru- 
lent or  more  or  less  bloody  or  foul  discharge,  often  irritat- 
ing, nausea,  fever,  etc. 


FlG.   18.— F(ETUS  AND  ITS  MEMBRANE  (FLEMING). 

o,  chorion  ;  6,  zonary  placenta  ;  d,  umbilical  vesicle  ;  g,  umbilical  cord  ; 
h,  amnion  ;  fc,  foetal  puppy. 

Diagnosis. — When  the  finger  is  introduced  within  the 
vagina  toward  the  womb,  indications  of  tenderness,  swell- 
ing, etc.,  will  suffice  to  point  to  the  seat  of  the  trouble,  and 
to  enable  a  diagnosis  to  be  made  between  metritis,  cystitis, 
peritonitis,  etc. 

This  affection  is  very  apt  to  be  complicated  with  in- 
flammation of  neighboring  parts,  especially  of  the  peri- 
toneum, when  the  case  becomes  doubly  dangerous. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  GENITAL  ORGANS.  287 

Prognosis. — This  is  bad  when  it  follows  parturition, 
and  when  there  is  a  tendency  to  blood-poisoning,  suppres- 
sion of  milk,  etc. 

Pathology. — The  lining  mucous  membrane  is  first  af- 
fected, and  there  is  a  tendency  to  a  condition  not  unlike 
that  often  seen  in  the  large  bowel  in  the  worst  cases  of 
dysentery.  Parts  of  the  membrane  are  apt  to  die.  It 
may  be  that  a  portion  of  attached  placenta  is  putrefying, 
and  poisoning  the  whole  system,  or  a  sort  of  diphtheritic 
condition  may  arise  which  is  often  fatal. 

Treatment. — The  indications  are  to  remove  the  cause, 
if  attached  placenta,  blood-clots,  etc.  It  may  be  possible 
to  insert  the  hand  and  remove  these,  though  not  likely, 
when  reliance  must  be  placed  on  antiseptic  injections, 
relieving  pain,  controlling  fever,  supplying  concentrated 
nourishment,  tonics,  and  often  stimulants. 

In  a  bad  case  of  metritis,  if  there  be  nursing  puppies 
they  should  be  removed  from  within  sight  and  hearing  of 
the  dam.  If  ever  the  gentlest  and  most  soothing  treat- 
ment is  called  for  it  is  in  such  a  case. 

Unfortunately  only  too  often,  the  stomach  quite  gives 
out,  when  food  must  be  injected  by  the  rectum. 

The  uterus  may  be  washed  out  frequently  with  such 
antiseptic  injections  as  are  recommended  in  vaginal  pro- 
lapse. These  may  have  sedatives  added  if  there  be  indica- 
tions of  pain. 

Fomentations,  very  hot,  frequently  changed  and  medi- 
cated with  opiates,  etc.,  applied  over  the  uterus  as  directly 
as  possible,  are  of  great  service. 

Quinine,  in  doses  of  four  to  six  grains  three  to  four 
times  a  day,  is  often  called  for,  and,  when  blood-poisoning 


2S3  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

is  threatened  or  actually  occurs,  is  perhaps  the  most  reli- 
able medicine  known.  It  might  be  worth  while  to  com- 
bine chlorate  of  potassium,  and,  if  much  nervousness,  bro- 
mide of  potassium,  with  it.  When  the  stomach  is  very 
irritable,  the  strength  failing,  fever  high,  or  if  there  be 
delirium,  etc.,  alcoholic  stimulants  are  urgently  demanded, 
and,  if  they  can  not  be  retained  by  the  mouth,  should  be 
given  in  nutrient  enemas. 

But  these  cases  are  not  hopeful,  and  every  effort  should 
be  made  to  prevent  their  occurrence.  Death  usually  re- 
sults by  blood-poisoning  or  exhaustion. 

COMPLICATIONS   INCIDENT  TO   PARTURITION. 

These  usually  intervene  in  bitches  improperly  man- 
aged during  gestation,  as  house  pets  unduly  pampered,  or 
specimens  that  have  been  overfed  and  little  exercised. 
Occasionally  labor  is  severe  from  the  sire  having  been  too 
large  for  the  dam,  the  young  to  some  extent  resembling 
him  in  size. 

In  the  entire  management  of  the  bitch  during  whelp- 
ing the  greatest  attention  should  be  paid  to  preserving  her 
in  a  trustful,  undisturbed  state.  (See  "  General  Manage- 
ment of  the  Brood-Bitch  and  Whelping,"  pages  135,  141.) 

Routine  examinations  of  the  parturient  bitch  by  in* 
sertion  of  the  finger  in  the  vagina  is  uncalled  for,  and,  as 
a  rule,  it  may  be  said  that  the  fewer  examinations  the  bet- 
ter, on  the  principle  that  these  are  sources  of  irritation 
and  possible  infection. 

If  an  examination  must  be  made,  as  in  a  case  of  de- 
layed labor,  etc.,  the  hands  should  be  well  washed,  disin- 
fected, and  the  examining  finger  anointed  with  carbolized 


COMPLICATIONS  INCIDENT  TO  PARTURITION.     289 

oil  (one  to  twenty)  or  simply  with  vaseline,  the  bitch  kept 
perfectly  quiet,  and  no  force  used. 

Naturally,  a  bitch  whelping  for  the  first  time  is  liable 
to  be  longer  in  giving  birth  to  the  first  puppy.  So  long 
as  there  is  no  great  constitutional  disturbance,  nothing  to 


FIG.  19. — UTERUS  AND  OVARIES  OP  THE  Sow,  SEMI-DIAGRAMMATIC 

(AFTER  D ALTON). 
o,  ovary;  H,  Fallopian  tube;  A,  horn  of  the  uterus;  6,  body  of  the  uterus;  v,  vagina. 


indicate  lack  of  muscular  power  in  the  uterus,  no  weak- 
ness or  exhaustion,  no  foul  smell,  discharge,  or  other  in- 
dication of  a  dead  puppy,  etc.,  patience  is  all  that  is  re- 
quired. 

Occasionally  false  pains  occur  in  the  bitch  near  or  just 
before  the  date  of  whelping.  An  opiate  by  the  mouth,  or 
an  injection  into  the  rectum  of  soap-suds  medicated  with 
laudanum  (twenty  to  thirty  drops),  will  relieve  these.  But 
in  this  and  all  cases  it  must  be  ascertained  that  constipa- 
tion does  not  exist,  for  which  an  enema  is  the  best  remedy 
in  such  a  case.  "When  very  severe,  true  labor  pains  may 
be  mitigated  by  a  close  of  Dover's  powder  or  of  Battley's 
sedative  solution  of  opium. 

Malpresentations  are  very  rare  in  the  bitch,  and  pup- 
pies are  so  flexible  that  Nature  often  rights  this  matter. 


290  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

However,  if  a  bitch  has  long  been  straining  and  to  no  pur- 
pose, the  puppy  being  down  within  reach  and  pressing  on 
the  perineum,  a  little  timely  assistance  during  the  pains 
only  will  facilitate  progress.  The  hand  alone  should  be 
employed  in  such  cases.  It  may  be  that  the  puppy  is  pre- 
senting high  in  the  vagina  or  in  the  uterus,  and  the  natural 
efforts  of  the  bitch  do  not  suffice  to  move  it.  In  that  case 
the  belly  may  be  pressed  upon  during  the  pains  and  some 
part  of  the  whelp  brought  within  reach  of  the  finger. 

If  a  puppy  is  ascertained  to  be  dead,  from  its  being 
cold,  etc.,  the  sooner  it  can  be  removed  the  better. 

The  use  of  instruments  is  an  important  question. 
Considering  the  smallness  of  the  passages  in  all  but  the 
largest  specimens,  the  thinness  of  the  vaginal  and  uterine 
walls,  the  readiness  with  which  they  are  torn,  bruised,  or 
at  least  abraded,  and  the  great  danger  of  serious  and  in- 
fective inflammations,  the  subject  becomes  of  grave  im- 
port. 

Except  for  the  largest  bitches,  forceps,  however  small 
and  well  made,  must  be  used  with  the  greatest  care,  if  at  all. 

"We  should  be  inclined  to  restrict  instrumental  interfer- 
ence to  the  worst  cases  only,  with  a  view  of  saving  the  life 
of  the  bitch  chiefly,  and  to  such  simple  appliances  as  a  very 
blunt  hook  or  crotchet  and  a  sort  of  snare,  such  as  is  used 
to  remove  polypi,  etc.,  or  some  simple  device  extem- 
porized for  the  occasion.  All  traction,  whether  with  the 
hand  or  aided  by  instruments,  should  be  steady,  and  only 
during  the  pains,  unless  these  have  quite  ceased. 

When  there  is  a  dead  puppy  in  utero,  and  it  seems  to 
be  hopeless  to  expect  that  the  uterine  contractions  will  ex- 
pel it  unaided,  when  the  bitch  shows  signs  of  exhaustion 


COMPLICATIONS  INCIDENT  TO  PARTURITION.      291 

and  incipient  blood-poisoning,  as  indicated  by  a  dry,  brown 
tongue,  rapid,  feeble  pulse,  great  prostration,  much  nausea, 
etc. — prompt  action  is  demanded,  and  unless  she  is  soon 
relieved  death  will  ensue. 

All  other  means  failing,  opening  the  abdomen  under 
antiseptic  precautions  is  justifiable,  and  in  skillful  hands 
may  prove  successful  After  such  an  operation  some 
thoroughly  competent  person  should  watch  the  bitch  and 
keep  her  quiet,  feed  her,  and  in  all  respects  meet  her  needs 
for  the  first  twenty-four  hours  at  least. 

When  should  ergot  of  rye  be  given?  Manifestly,  as 
its  action  is  to  increase  the  uterine  contractions,  not  when 
there  is  any  obstruction  from  imperfect  dilatation  of  the 
mouth  of  the  womb,  or  any  other  impediment ;  but  if  the 
passages  are  dilated  and  covered  with  lubricating  mucus, 
and  the  uterus  at  fault  from  inactivity,  ergot  may  be 
given,  always  bearing  in  mind  its  danger  to  the  young  if 
they  are  not  speedily  expelled. 

Very  often  a  little  whisky  (one  to  two  teaspoonfuls) 
given  in  a  small  quantity  of  beef  tea,  fluid  beef,  or  milk  and 
egg,  or,  if  the  stomach  is  not  in  a  condition  to  bear  these, 
simply  in  a  small  quantity  of  water,  will  result  in  calling 
forth  efforts  to  a  successful  issue.  Cold  cloths  applied  over 
the  lower  abdomen  are  often  effective  in  rousing  the 
uterus  to  more  vigorous  efforts. 

Post-partum  Fever. — It  is  well,  after  the  labor  is  over,  to 
renew  the  bedding  of  the  bitch,  cleanse  her  behind  with  a 
weak  solution  of  carbolic  acid  (one  to  eighty),  dry  well, 
and  place  the  puppies  at  the  breast. 

Some,  but  not  all,  bitches  show  an  elevation  of  tempera- 
ture of  one  degree  to  two  degrees  within  the  first  day  and 


292  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

night.  There  may  be  a  very  sudden  and  abundant  secre- 
tion of  milk,  and  this  increase  in  the  heat  of  the  body  is 
the  outcome  of  Nature's  efforts  to  adapt  to  a  new  condition 
of  things. 

The  food  should  be  bland,  largely  liquid,  and  the  nurs- 
ing careful.  No  medicine  is  required.  If  the  bowels  do 
not  move,  an  enema  may  be  given,  or  a  dose  of  castor  oil, 
though  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  all  laxatives  tend  to 
diminish  the  secretion  of  milk. 

But  fever  may  arise  from  other  causes.  The  secretion 
of  milk  may  be  arrested,  there  may  be  constipation, 
and  if  a  chill  and  vomiting,  there  is  ground  for  misgiv- 
ings, especially  if  the  discharge  from  the  uterus  is  foul  or 
totally  arrested,  and  the  mental  equilibrium  much  dis- 
turbed. 

Inflammation  of  the  peritoneum  or  uterus  is  to  be 
feared,  and,  if  the  labor  has  been  severe  or  instruments 
used,  septic  parturient  fever — i.  e.,  fever  owing  to  blood- 
poisoning,  which,  unfortunately,  only  too  often  proves 
fatal. 

The  prompt  measures  recommended  under  "  metritis  " 
(page  287)  must  be  taken  and  the  puppies  removed,  as  the 
milk  is  injurious,  and  the  young  only  worry  the  dam.  Fo- 
mentations, sedatives,  judicious  feeding,  quinine,  and  stimu- 
lants, with  all  means  possible  used  to  keep  the  genitals  free 
from  the  foul  discharges  are  indicated.  A  turpentine  stupe 
may  prove  useful  applied  over  the  uterus. 

The  mammary  glands  are  liable  to  certain  complica- 
tions. One  or  more  may  be  swollen,  "  caked,"  and  ready 
to  inflame.  These  must  be  milked  out  and  softened  with 
warm  oil,  gently  and  long  rubbed  in.  If  this  does  not  suf- 


COMPLICATIONS  INCIDENT  TO   PARTURITION.     293 

fice,  and  tlie  redness,  heat,  etc.,  continue,  fomenting  with, 
hot  vinegar  and  water,  to  which  a  little  laudanum  has  been 
added,  may  be  useful. 

Should  an  abscess  form,  it  must  be  freely  opened  with 
the  knife,  or  blood-poisoning  may  follow.  The  strength 
must  be  maintained,  the  bowels  kept  free,  and  pain  re- 
lieved. 

Fissure  of  the  nipple  is  the  presence  of  a  small  crack, 
which  becomes  extremely  painful  when  the  puppies  suck. 


FIG.  20.— I.  Portion  of  mamma  of  a  bitch  when  inactive  (after  Heidenhain).  II. 
During  secretion  of  milk,  a,  6,  milk-globules  ;  c,  d,  e,  colostrum-corpuscles  ; 
/,  pale  cells. 

To  harden  the  nipples,  they  may  be  washed  a  couple  of 
days  before  the  whelping  with  alcohol — only  the  nipples, 
not  the  glands  themselves — and  should  be  carefully  exam- 
ined for  such  fissures,  or  any  signs  of  tenderness. 

Occasionally  a  bitch  from  this  cause  will  refuse  to 
nurse  puppies  altogether. 

Such  a  fissure  had  better  be  touched  gently  with  nitrate 
of  silver,  or  somewhat  diluted  carbolic  acid,  on  a  earners- 
hair  brush,  and  then  washed  with  the  tannic-acid  lotion 
recommended  on  page  283. 

If  the  nipple  can  be  kept  from  the  puppies  altogether 
for  a  week,  the  prospects  of  cure  are  much  better.  In  any 


294:  THE   DOG   IN  DISEASE. 

case,  the  nipple  should  be  washed  with  cold  water  after 
the  lotion  has  been  used,  before  the  puppies  suck. 

Discharges  from  the  genitals  may  indicate  a  condition 
of  affairs  within  requiring  treatment.  The  natural  "  involu- 
tion "  of  the  uterus,  etc.,  is  attended  by  a  breaking  down 
of  old  structures,  giving  rise  to  a  discharge  for  a  few 
days. 

Should  this  get  foul,  be  attended  by  blood  to  any  ap- 
preciable extent,  become  muco-purulent  or  thin  and  irri- 
tating, a  condition  of  metritis  or  vaginitis,  most  likely  of  a 
subacute  or  chronic  character,  may  be  suspected  in  the  ab- 
sence of  marked  constitutional  symptoms. 

In  these  cases,  injections  of  such  lotions  as  before  rec- 
ommended, after  previous  cleansing,  will  generally  lead  to 
a  cure ;  but  unless  these  indications  are  met,  the  bitch  is 
very  likely  to  suffer  considerably  in  health 

Hcemorrhage  of  a  serious  kind  rarely  occurs  during 
labor.  Now  and  then,  however,  when  the  contractions 
are  very  severe,  the  whelp  may  be  expelled  with  such 
force  as  to  break  the  umbilical  cord  or  tear  away  a  part  of 
the  after-birth  (placenta),  when,  unless  the  uterus  con- 
tracts on  the  rest  and  expels  it  at  once,  bleeding  will 
follow. 

To  stimulate  contraction  of  the  uterus  and  favor  the 
arrest  of  bleeding  from  any  cause,  cold,  applied  in  the 
form  of  external  applications  to  the  lower  abdomen,  a  little 
piece  of  ice  dropped  within  the  vagina,  or  an  injection  of 
a  small  quantity  of  cold  water,  will  usually  meet  the  case. 

Ergot  of  rye,  when  the  uterus  fails  to  contract  after 
all  the  puppies  are  expelled,  is  indicated,  other  means 
failing. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  EAR.  395 

When  prolapse  of  the  vagina  or  eversion  of  the  uterus 
is  threatened,  the  perineum  may  be  supported  during  the 
pains  by  the  hand.  Should  these  complications  occur,  the 
treatment  is  as  previously  directed  (pages  271,  283). 

DISEASES  OF  THE  EAR. 

The  ear  is  usually  divided  into  external  ear,  middle  ear 
(tympanum),  and  internal  ear.  The  latter  is  the  essential 
part  of  hearing,  as  it  contains  the  auditory  cells  and  the 
terminations  of  the  auditory  nerve.  It  is  the  most  com- 
plicated sensory  structure  in  the  body,  and  is  inclosed  in  a 
bony  case. 

The  external  ear  may  be  regarded  as  protective  to 
other  parts  of  the  organ,  and  serves  to  collect  the  atmos- 
pheric undulations  that  move  the  apparatus  of  the  middle 
ear,  which  is  made  up  of  a  membrane  or  drum-head  at- 
tached to  several  small  bones,  the  whole  conveying  the 
aerial  undulations  to  the  fluid  within  the  inner  ear,  which 
fluid,  when  thus  moved,  stimulates  the  nerve-endings  and 
gives  rise  in  the  nerve  of  hearing  to  those  molecular  move- 
ments which,  being  conveyed  to  the  cells  of  that  part  of 
the  brain  concerned  with  hearing,  give  rise  to  that  special 
consciousness  and  those  judgments  which  we  call  "  hear- 
ing." Yibrations  from  the  atmosphere  or  from  solids 
usually  act  through  the  drum-head,  but  the  auditory  nerve 
may  be  affected  through  the  bones  of  the  head  directly. 

The  middle  ear  is  protected  not  only  by  the  outer  ear 
(flap  of  the  ear),  itself  covered  with  hair,  but  by  the  hairs 
within,  and  especially  by  ear-wax — a  secretion  from  glands 
that  are  modifications  of  the  sebaceous  glands  (cerrw- 
minous  glands) — and  which  must  be  disagreeable  to  insects, 


29G 


THE  BOG   IX  DISEASE. 


as  we  know  it  is  bitter  and  sticky,  and  is  admirably  adapted 
to  resist  wet,  etc. 


FIG.  21.— SECTION  THROUGH  AUDITORY  ORGAN  (AFTER  SAPPEY). 
1,  pinna ;  2,  4,  5,  cavity  of  concha,  external  and  auditory  meatus  with  opening  of 
ceruminous  glands  ;  6,  membrana  tympani ;  7,  anterior  part  of  incus  ;  8,  mal- 
leus ;  9,  long  handle  of  malleus,  attached  to  internal  surface  of  tympanic  mem- 
brane— it  is  here  represented  as  strongly  indrawn  ;  10,  tensor  tympani  muscle; 
11,  tympanic  cavity  ;  12,  Eustachian  tube  ;  13,  superior  semicircular  canal ;  14, 
posterior  semicircular  canal ;  15,  external  semicircular  canal ;  16,  cochlea  ;  17, 
internal  auditory  meatus  ;  18,  facial  nerve  ;  19,  large  petrosal  nerve  ;  20,  ves- 
tibular  branch  of  auditory  nerve  ;  21,  cochlear  branch  of  same.  Though  this 
cut  refers  especially  to  man,  the  relations  of  parts  are  essentially  the  same  in 
the  dog. 

Canker,  or  disease  of  the  external  ear,  is  very  common 
in  the  dog — more  so  than  in  any  of  our  domestic  animals. 

The  exterior  of  the  ear-flap  may  be  the  seat  of  various 
forms  of  disease  independently  of  other  parts,  such  as 
eczema,  or  it  may  become  affected  by  extension  of  disease 
from  within.  The  treatment  in  such  case  is  little  different 
from  that  of  any  other  portion  of  the  body  when  similarly 
disordered.  Canker  is  an  inflammation  of  the  inner  part  of 


DISEASES  OF  THE  EAR.  997 

the  external  ear,  but,  if  not  checked,  may  extend  both  ex- 
ternally and  internally.  It  begins  with  redness,  swelling, 
etc.,  but  is  rarely  seen  in  this  stage  except  by  those  who 
are  accustomed  to  make  daily  careful  examination  of  all 
parts  of  the  body  of  their  dogs — a  most  excellent  thing, 
which  does  not  take  much  time,  and  often  saves  a  great 
deal  of  worry  to  the  owner  and  misery  to  the  dog. 

The  dog  even  at  this  stage,  feeling  uncomfortable,  may 
shake  the  head,  scratch  the  ear,  etc.  Soon  the  usual  in- 
flammation with  exudation,  which  dries  and  forms  scabs, 
or  actual  pus  may  appear,  run  inward,  become  foul,  irritate 
the  drum-head,  and  give  rise  to  inflammation  of  the  mid- 
dle ear.  It  greatly  worries  most  dogs,  and  unless  soon  re- 
lieved they  lose  condition.  The  disease  is  most  frequently 
attributable  to  wet  and  cold,  combined  with  injudicious 


FIG.  22.— VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  BANDAGES  (AFTER  STEEL). 

feeding,  giving  rise  to  general  irritation  of  the  whole  skin, 
etc.  The  food  may  either  be  too  stimulating  or  wanting  in 
nutriment. 


298  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

It  sometimes  follows  the  dog's  going  into  water,  or  a 
washing  when  the  ears  have  not  been  carefully  dried. 
There  is  a  form  of  canker  due  to  small  parasites  that  irri- 
tate the  surface.  Often  these  vermin  may  be  seen  as  whit- 
ish points.  This  form  of  the  disease  is  contagious. 

Treatment. — This  should  be  prompt,  to  prevent  exten- 
sion of  the  disease.  When  the  dog  shakes  his  head  much, 
it  is  desirable  to  control  the  flapping  of  the  ears  by  some 
special  form  of  covering,  as  a  "  canker  cap."  Some  dogs, 
however,  worry  so  much  under  any  such  device  that  the 
remedy  is  a  failure.  It  may  be  more  practicable  in  some 
cases  to  cover  the  hind-foot  of  the  same  side,  so  that  the 
nails  are  ineffective. 

The  first  great  object  in  all  kinds  of  ear  disease  is  to 
remove  all  sources  of  irritation  by  cleanliness. 

In  the  stage  of  redness,  bathing  with  warm  water  and 
laudanum  will  do  good.  The  oxide-of-zinc  ointment  is 
very  useful  in  this  disease  in  all  stages  on  account  of  its 
soothing,  drying  properties ;  and  it  can  be  rendered  still 
more  useful,  when  the  ear  is  red  and  painful,  by  the  addi- 
tion of  a  little  morphia  or  opium. 

It  will  generally  be  necessary,  when  the  disease  has 
got  well  inward,  to  use  a  good  syringe  and  clean  out  the 
ear  with  warm  water. 

No  unguarded  probes  or  pointed  instruments,  and  no 
cold  liquids  of  any  "kind,  must  ever  be  used  for  the  ear. 

The  liquid  used  should  be  as  warm  as  can  be  borne 
against  the  human  cheek.  Often  cleansing  alone  will  ef- 
fect a  speedy  cure.  In  all  cases,  however,  when  only 
water  is  used  the  ear  should  be  carefully  dried  out  with 
cotton-wool  on  the  end  of  a  blunt  stick,  etc. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  EAR.  299 

When  the  disease  is  chronic,  astringent  lotions,  allied 
to  those  already  advised  for  various  forms  of  inflamma- 
tion, are  applicable.  Tannic  acid,  borax,  boric  acid,  zinc 
sulphate,  etc.,  are  all  of  value,  and  if  some  glycerin  be  used 
in  their  solution  with  water,  they  are  more  effectual,  as 
they  do  not  evaporate  so  soon. 

The  following  may  serve  as  an  example : 

B  Acid  carbolic 3  ss. ; 

Zinci  sulph 3  j  • 

Sod.  biborat 3  j ; 

Glycerin §  ij ; 

Aquae ad   J  vj. 

Ft.  mist. 

Sig. :  Pour  in  or  inject  a  teaspoonf ul,  warm,  two  to 
three  times  a  day  after  cleansing  with  warm  water. 

The  lotion  recommended  for  ophthalmia,  etc.  (p.  309), 
is  also  valuable.  In  chronic  cases  tincture  of  iodine  may 
do  good.  When  there  is  much  smell,  iodoform  blown  in 
is  invaluable.  Medicated  oils  serve  a  good  purpose. 

If  the  discharge  is  profuse  and  the  affection  of  long 
standing,  astringent  powders  blown  in  will  be  more  effect- 
ive sometimes  than  liquid  applications.  Some  of  the  best 
of  these  have  been  mentioned  for  lotions,  and  to  the  list 
may  be  added  dry  oxide  of  zinc  and  alum,  or  these  mixed 
with  subnitrate  of  bismuth  to  render  them  less  powerful. 
For  the  parasitic  form  of  the  disease  mercurial  ointments 
are  the  most  efficient.  The  yellow  oxide  of  mercury,  one 
grain  to  one  drachm  of  vaseline,  applied  daily,  often  cures. 

In  nearly  all  cases  the  general  health  of  the  dog  will 
require  attention.  The  bowels  should  be  relaxed,  though 

purging  is  not  called  for.     The  alimentary  canal  is  often 
21 


300  THE  DOG  Itf  DISEASE. 

at  fault.  It  may  be  that  alteratives,  as  arsenic,  will  be  in- 
dicated. 

When  ear  disease  is  chronic  and  the  digestion  is  good, 
tonics — as  iron,  quinine,  cod-liver  oil,  etc. — will  hasten  a 
cure. 

Good  feeding  is  as  valuable  as  any  part  of  the  treat- 
ment. It  should  be  very  bland  when  the  disease  is  acute, 
but  nutritious  when  chronic  and  discharges  are  profuse. 

Otitis  Media,  or  inflammation  of  the  middle  ear,  as  a 
primary  affection  is  rare.  It  may  arise  from  extension  of 
canker,  from  blows  or  other  injuries,  etc.,  but  sometimes 
it  will  not  be  possible  to  assign  a  cause. 

At  the  outset  the  pain  is  often  very  severe ;  the  dog 
may  whine,  cry  out,  or  rub  his  head  on  the  ground.  In 
all  such  instances,  if  there  are  no  external  signs  of  disease, 
this  affection  may  be  suspected,  especially  if  the  cause  can 
not  be  found  in  the  mouth,  as  a  decayed  tooth,  etc.  After 
a  few  days  pus  is  likely  to  issue  from  the  ear,  and  then  the 
disease  simulates  canker. 

The  danger  to  be  most  apprehended  is  extension  to  the 
brain,  causing  meningitis,  or  abscess  of  the  brain  itself, 
which  may  end  fatally  by  pressure  or  blood-poisoning. 

The  prognosis  should  always  be  guarded. 

Treatment. — The  most  urgent  indication  is  the  relief 
of  pain  by  opiates,  combined  with  bromide  of  potassium, 
warm  medicated  (belladonna,  etc.)  injections  into  the  ear, 
and  counter-irritation  to  the  back  of  the  head  and  neck. 
Warm  syringing  gives  great  relief,  and  should  be  fre- 
quent ;  but  immediately  after,  the  ear  should  be  filled  with 
cotton-wool  dipped  in  a  sedative  solution  and  covered  up 
well.  Turpentine  painted  on  moderately  two  or  three 


DISEASES  OF  TEE  EAR.  3Q1 

times  a  day  is  a  good  method  of  counter-irritation.  "When 
the  acute  stage  is  past  and  there  is  an  abundant  discharge, 
the  treatment  should  be  as  for  canker,  though  the  powders 
referred  to,  carefully  blown  in,  are  even  more  needed  than 
in  canker.  Constitutional  treatment  is  also  imperative  in 
many  cases. 

When  very  chronic,  the  internal  ear  itself  may  become 
affected,  though  this  is  fortunately  rare. 

The  disease,  unless  checked,  will  lead  to  the  loss  of  the 
small  bones,  perforation  of  the  drum-head  (very  common), 
and  considerable  deafness. 

Deafness,  to  a  certain  extent,  as  a  result  of  the  last  dis- 
ease, is  almost  sure  to  be  present,  though  not  always  readi- 
ly observed.  Old  dogs,  whose  powers  are  all  failing,  are 
more  or  less  deaf  also,  though  less  frequently  than  old 
men.  There  is  a  tendency  in  all  white  dogs,  as  bull  terri- 
ers, to  congenital  deafness.  A  dog  may  be  deaf  in  only 
one  ear,  but  when  born  deaf  usually  both  ears  are  defect- 
ive. In  testing  for  deafness  the  trials  should  be  so  con- 
ducted that  the  dog  may  not  be  able  to  perceive  actual 
concussion  of  the  earth,  waftings  of  the  air,  or  notice  other 
signs  which  might  attract  his  attention  through  sight  or 
smell.  It  is  well  to  make  comparative  tests  on  other  dogs 
at  the  same  time  under  the  same  circumstances.  Deafness 
may  be  due  to  accumulations  of  dirt,  wax,  or  both  together, 
in  the  ears.  After  this  has  been  softened  by  dropping  oil 
into  the  ears  for  a  couple  of  days,  they  should  be  well 
syringed  with  warm  soap-suds. 

Polypus  of  the  ear  is  apt  to  arise  from  long-continued 
discharges  from  the  ear,  the  result  of  inflammation  (otor- 
rhwa).  When  a  discharge  does  not  yield  in  a  moderate 


302  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

period  to  treatment,  a  careful  examination  of  the  ear 
should  be  made  with  a  speculum  in  a  bright  light.  If  a 
polypus  is  discovered  and  it  can  be  reached  with  a  for- 
ceps, snare,  etc.,  its  immediate  removal  is  indicated,  the 
base  being  cauterized  with  nitrate  of  silver  or  carbolic 
acid  if  possible,  and  the  whole  finally  destroyed  by  re- 
peated astringent  applications  (powders). 

DISEASES  OF  THE  EYE. 

The  visual  apparatus  consists  of  a  series  of  refracting 
bodies  which  bring  rays  of  light  emanating  from  an  object 
to  a  focus  on  the  expansion  of  the  optic  nerve  (retina)  in 
the  form  of  a  clearly  defined  image,  which  so  influences 
the  nerve  of  vision  that  certain  parts  of  the  brain  are  af- 
fected, and  "  seeing  "  or  "  vision  "  results. 

The  principal  refracting  body  is  the  crystalline  lens. 
The  essential  apparatus  (crystalline  lens  and  retina),  so  far 
as  the  globe  of  the  eye  is  concerned,  is  protected  by  a  firm 
whitish  outer  tunic,  lined  within  by  a  vascular  (blood- 
supplying)  covering  supporting  the  retinal  expansion  of 
the  nerve  of  vision. 

The  main  refracting  body  is  supported  in  position  by 
a  ligament  (suspensory  ligament\  the  foldings  (ciliary 
processes)  of  the  vascular,  pigmented  coat  (choroid\  and 
the  vitreous  humor. 

Light  is  admitted  through  the  clear  outer  cornea, 
which  is  set  into  the  rest  of  the  globe  as  a  watch-glass  into 
its  case.  At  the  junction  of  this  cornea  and  the  firm  outer 
coat  (sclerotic)  hangs,  in  front  of  the  lens,  a  colored  (pig- 
mented) circular  muscular  curtain  (iris)  with  the  power  to 
vary  in  size  under  the  stimulus  of  light  reflexly,  so  that 


DISEASES  OF  THE  EYE. 


303 


the  greater  the  quantity  and  intensity  of  light,  the  smaller 
the  central  opening  (pupil)  in  the  curtain. 

The  globe  of  the  eye  is  set  in  a  bony  socket,  moved  by 
several  muscles,  protected  by  the  eyelids,  eyebrows,  eye- 
lashes, and  washed  over  with  the  secretion  of  a  small  gland 


-SUPERIOR  RECTUS 


CHOROfD 


OPTIC  NEftVP 


CHOROiO 

—INFERIOR  RECTUS 
FIG.  23,-SECTioN  OF  HUMAN  EYB,  SOMEWHAT  DIAGRAMMATIC  (AFTER  FLINT). 

(lachrymal}  situated  in  the  outer  part  of  the  socket.  The 
secretion,  when  it  has  served  its  purpose,  is  carried  away 
by  the  lachrymal  duct  into  the  nose. 

In  the  dog,  a  third  eyelid  (membrana  nictitans)  is  pres- 
ent at  the  inner  corner  of  the  eye,  but  is  not  so  well  devel- 
oped as  in  herbivora,  etc.,  though  more;  prominent  in  some 
breeds,  as  bloodhounds. 


304:  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

The  gland  of  Harder  is  placed  in  connection  with  it, 
and  secretes  a  protective  oily  matter. 

It  is  important  to  remember  the  conjunctiva,  a  mucous 
membrane  extending  over  the  front  of  the  ball,  reflected 
on  the  inside  of  the  eyelids,  and  terminating  at  their  edges. 
It  is  very  thin  and  transparent  over  the  cornea. 


FIG.  34.— EYE  PARTIALLY  DISSECTED  (AFTER  SAPPEY). 

1.  optic  nerve  ;  2,  3,  4,  sclerotic  dissected  back  so  as  to  uncover  the  choroid  coat ; 
5,  cornea,  divided  and  folded  back  with  sclerotic  coat ;  6,  canal  of  Schlemm  ; 
7,  external  surface  of  choroid,  traversed  by  one  of  the  long  ciliary  arteries  and 
by  ciliary  nerves  ;  8,  central  vessel,  into  which  the  vasa  vorticosa  empty  ;  9, 10, 
choroid  zone  ;  11,  ciliary  nerves ;  12,  long  ciliary  artery ;  13,  anterior  ciliary 
arteries  ;  14,  iris  ;  15,  vascular  circle  of  iris  ;  16,  pupil. 

While  it  is  possible  that  any  part  of  the  eye  may  be 
the  seat  of  disease,  affections  of  certain  regions  are  very 
uncommon,  and  it  would  serve  but  little  purpose  to  give  a 
complete  account  of  all  the  diseases  of  the  eye  that  have 
occurred  at  any  time. 

The  eyelids,  eyebrows,  eyelashes,  lachrymal  apparatus, 


DISEASES  OF  THE  EYE.  395 

third  eyelid  ("  liaw  "),  and  lachrymal  ducts  are  more  espe- 
cially the  protective  apparatus  of  the  eye,  and  affections  of 
some  of  these  parts  are  common. 

Diseases  of  the  Protective  Apparatus  of  the  Eye. — Not 
infrequently,  especially  after  distemper,  the  eyebrows  and 
eyelids  are  affected  with  a  troublesome  eczema,  which 
must  be  treated  on  the  general  principles  that  apply  to 
that  disease. 

Occasionally,  particularly  in  neglected,  ill-fed  dogs  and 
after  distemper,  the  edges  of  the  lids  also  tend  to  inflame 
and  remain  in  a  condition  of  chronic  irritation,  leading  to 
exudation,  scabs,  loss  of  eyelashes,  etc. 

The  condition  does  not  always  yield  readily  to  treat- 
ment. The  lids  should  be  bathed  with  warm,  soothing 
lotions,  as  boric  acid  and  laudanum,  dried,  and  anointed 
with  vaseline,  while  attention  is  paid  in  every  way  to  the 
general  health  and  the  surroundings. 

If  this  simple  treatment  is  not  effective,  it  may  be 
necessary  to  apply  a  mercurial  ointment,  either  the  red 
oxide-of -mercury  ointment  (pink  ointment),  three  grains  to 
one  drachm  of  vaseline,  or,  better,  the  officinal  nitrate-of- 
mercury  ointment  (citrine  ointment),  one  drachm  to  one 
ounce  of  vaseline. 

As  these  are  very  irritating  to  the  eye,  they  should  be 
confined  to  the  lids.  All  mercurial  ointments  kill  para- 
sites which  occasionally  attach  themselves  to  the  edges 
of  the  lids.  When  such  preparations  are  used  it  is 
most  important  that  no  other  dog  get  near  the  patient, 
as  he  might  lick  them  off  and  be  poisoned  with  mer- 
cury, which  in  the  dog  happens  readily  and  is  very 
fatal. 


306  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Inflammation  and  Abscess  of  the  lachrymal  gland  now 
and  then  occur  in  the  dog,  and,  when  it  does,  should 
be  treated  on  the  general  principles  that  govern  other 
inflammations.  It  is  important  that  no  secretions  be  pent 
up. 

The  Lachrymal  Ducts  also  may  become  the  seat  of  in- 
flammation or  catarrh,  giving  rise  to  swelling,  so  that  the 
tears  are  not  carried  oQ}  but  run  over  the  cheeks. 

If  possible,  after  soothing  treatment  in  the  acute  stage, 
a  probe  should  be  introduced  and  the  duct  opened  up.  A 
cutting  operation,  as  slitting  up  the  duct,  may  be  required. 
Altogether  they  are  most  unsatisfactory  cases  to  deal  with, 
and  the  practitioner  must  be  guided  by  the  indications  in 
each  instance. 

The  haw,  or  third  eyelid,  may  inflame  and  greatly  en- 
large. This  condition,  when  acute  and  of  short  standing, 
may  be  treated  with  soothing  and  astringent  lotions ;  and 
very  often  these  will  reduce  the  structure  to  a  natural  size 
within  a  moderate  period.  If  not,  it  must  be  seized  with 
forceps,  drawn  out,  and  snipped  off,  the  dog  being  under 
the  influence  of  an  anaesthetic,  as  in  nearly  all  other  opera- 
tions on  the  eye,  so  that  nicety  in  results  may  be  attained 
and  accidents  may  not  occur  from  the  struggling  of  the 
animal.  The  application  of  cocaine  may  render  an  anaes- 
thetic unnecessary. 

Conjunctivitis,  or  inflammation  of  the  mucous  membrane 
of  the  eye. — The  eyes  in  the  dog,  more  than  in  any  of  our 
domestic  animals,  reflect  the  condition  of  the  constitution, 
especially  the  state  of  the  digestive  and  respiratory  tracts. 

There  are  all  degrees  of  abnormality  in  the  conjunc- 
tiva, from  simple  injection  or  redness,  with  little  or  no 


DISEASES  OF  THE  EYE.  397 

discharge  of  any  kind,  to  the  extreme  redness,  swelling, 
and  purulent  discharge  of  ophthalmia. 

We  have  very  often  to  deal  with  a  catarrh  of  the  con- 
junctiva akin  to  that  of  the  nose  during  and  after  distem- 
per as  well  as  from  general  disorder  of  the  digestive  tract 
or  the  economy  as  a  whole. 

This  catarrh  may  be  regarded  as  a  conjunctivitis, 
which,  according  to  the  symptoms,  may  be  acute,  sub- 
acute,  or  chronic,  and  is  to  be  considered  apart  from  oph- 
thalmia. 

Diagnosis. — In  influenza  the  discharge  is  nearly  al- 
ways thin,  especially  for  some  days.  In  the  catarrh  of 
distemper,  etc.,  it  is  thin  at  first,  but  soon  becomes  muco- 
purulent. 

Ophthalmia. — The  local  symptoms  are  very  severe, 
especially  in  the  worst  form,  the  lids  being  swollen  (cedem- 
atous),  the  conjunctiva  very  red,  thickened,  tender,  and 
the  seat  of  a  copious  purulent  discharge.  It  is  a  violent 
inflammation  of  the  mucous  membrane,  affecting  more  or 
less  the  whole  eye  sympathetically  (reflexly,  etc.). 

There  is  pain,  intolerance  of  light  (photophobia),  febrile 
symptoms,  and  general  disturbance.  Damp,  dark,  un- 
healthy kennels,  bad  feeding,  etc.,  are  predisposing  causes. 

There  is  difference  of  opinion  as  to  how  far  purulent 
ophthalmia  is  contagious  or  infectious.  However,  it  is 
practically  better  to  assume  that  it  is  very  liable  to  attack 
other  dogs  in  the  kennel,  and  accordingly  to  remove  the 
sufferer  to  a  quiet,  comfortable,  but  somewhat  darkened, 
place  by  himself. 

Treatment. — The  indications  are  to  allay  pain  and  irri- 
tation both  by  local  and  constitutional  measures. 


308  THE  DOG  IN   DISEASE. 

The  disease  can  not  be  aborted,  but  its  severity  may  be 
mitigated  and  complications  may  be  prevented. 

The  dangers  are  that  adjacent  structures  may  take  on 
an  inflammatory  condition,  and  that  abscesses  and  slough- 
ing, or  loss  of  structure,  may  result.  Ulcers  of  the  cornea 
are  common  after  this  disease. 

Cleanliness,  in  the  medical  or  surgical  sense,  can  not 
be  too  much  insisted  on  in  all  such  diseases — i.  e.,  all  dis- 
charge must  be  frequently  removed. 

This  had  better  be  done  without  actual  contact  of  the 
hand  as  much  as  possible,  as  the  eyelids  are  extremely 
tender. 

Warm  water  may  be  allowed  to  trickle  from  a  sponge 
into  the  eyes,  or,  better,  from  a  piece  of  cotton  or  lint, 
which,  if  brought  in  contact  with  the  eyes  at  all,  should  be 
frequently  renewed.  The  water  should  be  as  warm  as  can 
be  borne  comfortably.  In  the  intervals  a  hot  fomentation, 
medicated  with  belladonna  if  the  pain  be  severe,  may  be 
laid  over  the  eyes,  but  not  long  enough  to  retain  much 
secretion  before  washing  is  resorted  to  again.  "Warm 
water  may  be  poured  into  the  eyes  from  a  little  kett]e  or 
teapot  in  a  gentle  stream. 

A  few  drops  of  the  officinal  solution  of  atropine  may 
be  dropped  into  the  eye  two  to  three  times  a  day,  taking 
care  that  it  does  not  run  into  the  dog's  mouth  (poisonous). 

The  application  with  a  camel's-hair  brush  of  a  solution 
of  nitrate  of  silver,  of  a  strength  of  ten  to  twenty  grains 
to  the  ounce  of  water  once  or  twice  daily,  has  been  found 
generally  useful.  For  a  lotion  to  be  used  more  frequently, 
the  following  is  recommended,  and  is  useful  in  many  ca- 
tarrhal  conditions  of  the  eye : 


DISEASES  OF  THE  EYE.  399 

9  Zinci  sulph gr.  xvj  ; 

Morph.  sulph gr.  iv ; 

Aquae ad   J  iv. 

Ft.  mist. 

Sig. :  Apply  several  times  daily  as  a  lotion  to  the  eyes. 

Sometimes  boric  acid,  ten  grains  to  the  ounce  of  water, 
answers  better  than  the  sulphate  of  zinc. 

The  colorless  fluid  extract  of  golden  seal,  one  part  in 
six  or  eight  of  water,  may  be  combined  with  other  astrin- 
gents, as  sulphate  of  zinc,  though  this  mixture  is  better 
adapted  for  ordinary  forms  of  conjunctivitis. 

An  excellent  prescription  for  this  and  other  forms  of 
inflammation  of  the  eye  and  ear  is  Goulard's  extract  of 
lead  (or  Goulard's  water)  combined  with  morphia  or 
opium  in  water,  thus : 

Jfc  Goulard's  ext.  plumbi 3  ss. ; 

Ext.  opii  liquid J  ss. ; 

Aquse ad   §  iv. 

The  quantity  of  the  first  ingredient  may  be  double  for 
use  in  the  ear.  The  patient  should  be  given  abundance  of 
bland,  nutritious  food. 

If  he  does  not  sleep,  and  is  very  restless,  Dover's 
powder  combined  with  bromide  of  potassium  is  indicated. 

Counter-irritation  to  the  back  of  the  head  and  neck 
will  be  found  serviceable  in  all  acute  inflammations  of  the 
eye  and  ear. 

Ulcers  of  the  Cornea  are  apt  to  result  from  this  and 
some  other  conditions.  They  are  very  slow  to  heal,  and 
prevention  is  much  better  than  cure. 

The  use  of  atropine  and  stimulating  lotions  and  oint- 
ments has  answered  best. 


310  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

One  of  the  most  useful  remedies  is  the  yellow  oxide-of- 
mercury  ointment  recommended  for  granular  lids  below. 
A  small  quantity  of  calomel  dusted  over  the  ulcers  often 
does  good. 

Granular  Lids. — A  condition  resulting  from  long-con- 
tinued irritation  of  the  mucous  membrane,  with  more  or 
less  prominent  elevations  on  the  inside  of  the  lids.  These 
are  a  source  of  no  little  irritation  to  the  cornea,  and  the 
eye  as  a  whole. 

Treatment. — At  first  a  gentle  application  of  a  smooth 
crystal  of  sulphate  of  copper,  and,  immediately  after,  wash- 
ing over  the  everted  lids  with  a  camel' s-hair  pencil  dipped 
in  water. 

The  upper  lid  is  easily  everted  with  a  little  practice 
by  placing  a  rather  small  pencil  or  pen-handle  over  it 
and  then  seizing  the  edge  of  the  lid  and  lashes  and  turn- 
ing it  back.  The  lower  lid  can  readily  be  drawn  from  the 
eyeball  or  everted  in  a  similar  way. 

A  most  useful  application  is  an  ointment  made  from 
the  amorphous  yellow  oxide  of  mercury,  one  to  three 
grains  to  one  drachm  of  vaseline.  A  piece  the  size  of  a 
hemp-seed  suffices  for  a  single  application. 

The  same  treatment  is  excellent  for  opacities  of  the 
cornea,  which  are  apt  to  result  from  granular  lids  or  in- 
flammation of  the  cornea  itself. 

The  latter  occurs  during  distemper,  the  whole  cornea 
becoming  cloudy  or  steamy  in  appearance.  Generally  it 
clears  up  without  local  treatment  being  specially  directed 
to  it. 

Iritis. — Inflammation  of  the  iris  may  occur  independ- 
ently, or  as  a  complication  of  other  diseases  of  the  eye. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  EYE. 

It  is  recognized  by  an  alteration  in  the  appearance  and 
mobility  of  the  structure.  It  assumes  a  dirty  hue;  the 
pupil  may  be  contracted,  or  very  irregular  in  shape. 

Treatment. — Counter-irritation  to  the  back  of  the 
head,  atropine  dropped  into  the  eye  frequently,  and  regu- 
lation of  the  general  health. 

Cataract  is  a  whitish  opacity  of  the  crystalline  lens, 
and  may  be  either  complete  or  partial.  As  the  light  is 
thus  shut  out,  the  eye  is  more  or  less  useless. 

It  is  rare  in  young  dogs,  but  not  uncommon  in  old 
ones. 

The  lens  may  be  removed,  as  in  man,  but  the  sight  is 
rather  imperfect  without  glasses,  which  we  fear  even  the 
most  intelligent  dog  could  scarcely  be  induced  to  wear. 

If  only  incipient,  attention  should  be  paid  to  the  gen- 
eral health  by  tonics,  etc.,  to  prevent  its  increase. 

Amaurosis  and  Amblyopia  are  terms  used  to  indicate 
blindness  without  obvious  alterations  in  the  structure  of 
the  eye. 

In  all  such  cases  an  ophthalmoscopic  examination  of 
the  eye  should  be  made  by  an  expert. 

The  causation  is  obscure,  but  irritation  from  worms  in 
the  digestive  tract,  defective  action  of  the  liver,  exhaustive 
diseases,  etc.,  seem  to  be  associated  in  some  cases. 

The  presence  of  brain  disease  should  be  suspected  in 
alterations  of  the  pupils,  squint,  photophobia,  loss  of  vision, 
etc.,  when  other  cause  is  not  obvious. 

The  possibility  of  parasites  lodging  within  the  eye  is 
not  to  be  forgotten.  The  treatment  of  amaurosis  must  be 
in  accordance  with  the  cause  and  general  condition  of  the 
animal.  No  local  treatment  is  likely  to  be  of  any  use. 


312  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Dislocation  (extrusion,  protrusion)  of  the  eyeball  may 
result  from  violence,  as  fighting,  etc. 

If  the  parts  are  not  clean  they  should  at  once  be 
washed  with  an  antiseptic  solution,  and,  by  gentle  pressure, 
oiling  well  with  vaseline,  returned  before  swelling  and  in- 
flammation have  set  in.  If  some  time  has  elapsed,  the 
eye  should  still  be  pressed  back,  if  possible,  before  opera- 
tive procedures  are  undertaken. 

After  replacement  the  head  should  be  bandaged  for 
a  few  days,  cotton-wool  being  laid  over  the  eye  itself. 
If  there  is  danger  of  inflammation,  surgeon's  lint  dipped 
in  the  lead  lotion  referred  to  previously  will  tend  to 
soothe.  The  dressing  should,  of  course,  be  covered  with 
impermeable  material  to  keep  the  whole  moist. 

Squint  can  in  some  cases  be  remedied  by  operation, 
and  it  may  be  worth  while  if  the  dog  be  very  valuable, 
though  in  most  instances  the  services  of  an  oculist  will  be 
desirable. 

DISEASES  OP  THE  NERVOUS   SYSTEM. 

The  nervous  system  consists  of  nerve-endings,  nerve- 
fibers,  and  nerve-cells.  The  cells  alone  are  capable  of 
originating  influences  (impulses),  or  modifying  them  when 
carried  to  them  by  the  conductors  or  nerves.  The  nerve- 
endings  are  specially  modified  cells  adapted  for  receiving 
the  stimulus  from  the  outer  world.  All  the  sensory  or- 
gans may  be  regarded  as  more  or  less  complex  combina- 
tions of  nerve-endings.  The  principal  centers  are  the 
brain  and  spinal  cord,  which  in  reality  are  groups  or  com- 
munities of  organs,  just  as  the  alimentary  canal  is  a  group 
of  organs,  and  we  must  expect  to  find  localization  and 


DISEASES  OF  THE  NERVOUS  SYSTEM.  313 

specialization  of  function  in  tlie  spinal  cord,  and  especially 
in  the  brain,  as  elsewhere. 

We  may  compare  the  brain  and  spinal  cord  to  the 
great  collection  of  central  offices  of  a  vast  telegraphic  sys- 
tem, with  the  nerves  as  the  conducting  wires,  and  the 
nerve-endings  as  the  outlying  smaller,  less  important  of- 
fices of  the  system.  Another  useful  comparison,  espe- 
cially in  understanding  the  functions  of  the  cord  and 
reflex  action,  is  that  of  a  battery  representing  the  central 
nerve-cells,  and  the  circuit  as  completed  by  the  nerves 
and  nerve-endings  representing  the  wires. 

The  connection  of  every  part  of  the  body  with  the 
central  nervous  system  and  with  the  other  regions,  so  that 
all  the  parts  constitute  a  related  (co-ordinated']  whole,  is 
one  of  the  most  important  truths  to  be  borne  in  mind  by 
both  physiologist  and  practitioner. 

The  nervous  system  in  the  dog  is  well  developed,  yet 
somewhat  unstable ;  hence  functional  disease  of  this  part 
is  common. 

Babies  (Hydrophobia). — This  is  the  gravest  of  all  the 
diseases  of  the  dog,  both  as  regards  the  canine  and  human 
species,  since  it  is  invariably  fatal,  and  is  common  to  the 
dog  and  many  other  animals.  The  disease  has  been  much 
misunderstood  and  dreaded  by  the  non-professional  por- 
tion of  the  public,  though  it  is  to  the  credit  of  dog-breed- 
ers that  they  have  generally  taken  a  sensible  view  of  the 
subject. 

Rabies  has  been  treated  at  great  length  in  some  works, 
much  useless  speculation  being  indulged  in  up  to  within 
recent  years,  when  the  illustrious  Pasteur  put  the  subject 
on  a  more  scientific  basis.  We  have  still  a  great  deal  to 


314  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

learn  in  regard  to  predisposing  causes,  and  the  real  patho- 
logical lesion,  if  there  be  such  visible  by  the  microscope ; 
while  we  are  utterly  in  the  dark  as  to  any  method  of  treat- 
ment that  has  the  slightest  effect  when  once  the  disease 
is  established. 

Eabies  may  be  regarded  as  a  specific  disease  of  the 
nervous  system  leading  to  a  fatal  issue,  and  in  the  course 
of  which  all  the  various  functions  of  the  body  may  be 
more  or  less  abnormal  though  the  psychical  changes  are 
the  most  pronounced. 

The  cause  is  a  virus  or  poison  communicable  by  a  bite 
from  the  affected  animal  owing  to  the  poison  being  in  the 
saliva.  It  is  known  that  inoculation  with  the  saliva  will 
produce  the  disease. 

Protection  (immunity)  against  rabies  has  been  pro- 
duced by  Pasteur  by  inoculations  of  the  weakened  (attenu- 
ated} virus  obtained  from  the  portion  of  brain  next  to  the 
spinal  cord  (medulla  oblongata). 

The  period  of  incubation  or  latency  of  the  disease  is 
more  variable  than  in  the  case  of  any  malady  known  to  us. 
It  seems  to  vary  between  a  few  days  (ten  to  fifteen)  and 
many  months,  if  not  even  years. 

The  animals  affected  may  show  symptoms  that  vary 
sufficiently  to  warrant  a  division  into  two  distinct  forms — 
the  excitable,  furious,  or  maniacal,  and  the  paralytic.  It  is 
to  be  borne  in  mind,  as  said  before,  that  in  this,  as  in  all 
diseases,  absolutely  typical  cases  are  rare,  and  the  dog  may 
be  sick  unto  death  with  either  form  and  not  attract  very 
marked  attention.  Death  usually  results  in  from  two  to 
ten  days  in  the  furious  form,  and  in  a  much  shorter 
period  in  dumb  rabies. 


DISEASES  OP  THE  NERVOUS  SYSTEM.  315 

Pathology. — No  absolutely  characteristic  post-mortem 
appearances  are  known.  Evidently  the  changes  are  func- 
tional modifications  of  the  brain-cells  chiefly. 

Symptoms. — These  are  principally  expressed  in  the 
behavior  and  appearance  of  the  dog.  At  first  he  may  be 
very  quiet,  shy,  sullen,  inclined  to  hide  away  in  corners ; 
but  sooner  or  later  he  is  likely  to  show  more  or  less  ex- 
citement. The  dog  is  profoundly  altered  in  his  psychic 
nature,  and  this  is  most  evident  to  those  who  are  accus- 
tomed to  observe  dogs,  though  in  well-marked  cases  obvi- 
ous to  any  one.  lie  may  seem  more  affectionate  than 
usual,  or  the  reverse.  If  a  bitch,  she  may  be  sexually 
excitable,  inclined  to  solicit  attention  from  dogs  of  the 
opposite  sex.  Much  stress  must  be  laid  on  perverted  ap- 
petite, the  animal  swallowing  all  sorts  of  foreign  material 
— as  sticks,  stones,  straw,  even  its  own  faeces  and  urine. 
The  voice  is  altered  to  a  short  bark,  often  ending  in  a  sort 
of  howl  or  moan  which  is  characteristic. 

At  this  early  stage  the  animal  may  or  may  not  snap  at 
objects  or  champ  the  jaws. 

During  the  excitable  stage,  which  may  be  well-marked 
or  the  reverse,  the  dog  is  prone  to  roam  over  wide  tracts 
of  country  at  a  jog-trot,  head  down,  tongue  out,  but  not 
usually  frothing  at  the  mouth,  with  a  dejected  look  and  in- 
different to  what  is  about  him,  yet  snapping  at  any  animals 
that  happen  to  come  in  his  way.  He  may  return  to  his 
home  if  not  interfered  with.  The  biting  and  snapping 
should  not  be  regarded  as  deliberate,  but  as  a  sort  of  reflex 
action,  or  at  all  events  as  more  or  less  unconscious.  It  is 
then  the  dog  is  most  dangerous  to  other  animals.  A  sort 
of  bluish  tinge  to  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  mouth  may 
22 


316  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

appear,  and  should  assist  in  diagnosis.     He  will  not  usually 
eat,  and  for  this  reason,  and  because  of  the  general  dis- 


FIG.  25.— REPRESENTATION  OF  A  DOG  AFFECTED  WITH  RABIES  (AFTER  SANSON). 

turbance,  sleeplessness,  etc.,  he  rapidly  loses  flesh.  His 
eyes,  altered  in  expression  from  the  first,  get  more  abnor- 
mal, and  his  whole  appearance  is  extremely  haggard.  The 
excitement  may  periodically  result  in  convulsive  parox- 
ysms, death  resulting  in  one  of  these,  or  from  the  exhaus- 
tion that  follows  them. 

Diagnosis. — Discrimination  lies  between  epilepsy,  or 
fits  of  various  kinds,  arising  from  the  heat  of  the  sun  as 
dogs  run  the  streets,  neuralgia,  toothache,  meningitis,  ex- 
cessive fright,  acute  ear  disease,  parasites  in  the  nose  or 
brain,  the  distress  of  dogs  lost  in  a  large  city,  of  bitches 
deprived  of  whelps,  etc. 

If  the  dog  has  been  bitten  and  symptoms  of  a  sus- 
picious character  follow,  he  should  be  isolated  at  all  events 
and  kept  under  observation.  The  bark  of  the  rabid  dog 
is  very  characteristic,  and  careful  examination  and  obser- 
vation should  enable  one  to  distinguish  between  the  dis- 


DISEASES  OF  THE  NERVOUS  SYSTEM.  317 

turbance  arising  from  real  pain  or  mental  distress  and  the 
altered  behavior  of  rabies. 

"  Fear  of  water "  is  a  pure  hypothesis  so  far  as  the 
dog  is  concerned,  nor,  in  the  absence  of  paralysis,  is  there 
necessarily  any  difficulty  in  swallowing  from  spasm  of  the 
muscles  concerned;  The  history  and  the  entire  assem- 
blage of  symptoms  must  be  the  basis  for  diagnosis. 

The  paralytic  form  of  rabies  (dumb  rabies)  is  more  in- 
sidious in  its  attack.  There  is  not  usually  any  excitement, 
but  very  soon  after  the  onset  of  the  disease,  manifested  by 
listlessness,  the  muscles  of  mastication  become  paralyzed, 
so  that  the  lower  jaw  drops.  There  is  no  maniacal  stage. 

These  forms  do  not  constitute  distinct  diseases,  and 
both  may  occur  at  the  same  time  in  the  one  kennel.  In  a 
word,  the  variations  in  the  disease  rabies  are  wholly  de- 


FIQ.  26.— REPRESENTATION  OF  A  DOG  SUFFERING  FROM  PARALYTIC  RABIES 
(AFTER  SANSON). 

pendent,  so  far  as  known  now,  on  the  amount  of  the 
poison  introduced  into  the  animal,  and  on  the  latter's  indi- 
vidual peculiarities  of  constitution. 


318  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Dumb  rabies  seems  to  be  more  prevalent  in  hounds 
kept  in  packs  than  in  other  varieties  of  the  dog. 

Treatment. — The  disease  can  not  be  conveyed  by  the 
digestive  tract,  so  that  there  is  no  danger  in  sucking  a 
wound  to  extract  the  poison,  provided  the  lips,  etc.,  are 
free  from  cuts  or  abrasions — i.  e.,  so  long  as  they  are  pro- 
tected by  the  natural  covering  of  epithelium. 

Sucking  the  wound,  a  handkerchief  twisted  tightly  be- 
yond the  wound  to  prevent  the  return  of  blood  as  much 
as  possible  into  the  general  circulation,  and  especially  vig- 
orous and  prompt  use  of  the  actual  cautery,  in  the  form  of 
a  red-hot  iron  or  the  solid  stick  of  nitrate  of  silver,  consti- 
tute the  best  treatment.  It  is  a  good  thing  to  carry  the 
latter  always  in  the  vest-pocket,  in  view  of  emergencies  of 
different  kinds.  In  the  case  of  man,  the  subject  should  be 
at  once  subjected  to  the  Pasteur  treatment,  which  has  un- 
doubtedly produced  marvelous  results. 

The  dog  should,  if  possible,  be  treated  in  the  same 
way ;  but  if  the  disease  has  actually  developed  itself  and 
the  diagnosis  is  certain,  a  painless  death  for  the  animal 
is  the  clear  indication. 

The  rabid  dog  should  be  not  only  confined  in  a  suitable 
place,  but  secured  by  very  strong  and  reliable  fastenings. 
But  as  all  animals  bitten  do  not  become  rabid,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  kill  a  dog  bitten  by  a  rabid  animal  at  once, 
for  he  may  wholly  escape ;  and  instances  are  given  of 
dogs  repeatedly  bitten  that  never  took  the  disease — in  fact, 
in  this,  as  in  other  maladies,  some  animals  enjoy  a  natural 
immunity ;  but  in  any  case  secure  isolation  is  imperative. 

Convulsions,  Epilepsy,  Fits,  Apoplexy. — All  the  normal 
movements  of  the  body  are  the  result  of  harmonious  or 


DISEASES  OF  THE  NERVOUS  SYSTEM.  319 

co-ordinated  functional  activity  of  the  neuro  -  muscular 
mechanism — i.  e.,  of  the  nerve-centers,  nerves,  and  mus- 
cles. In  a  fit  or  convulsion  this  is  not  the  case;  the 
movements  are  irregular,  purposeless,  and  generally  are 
injurious,  and  always  wasteful  of  the  energies  of  the 
animal. 

Epileptiform  convulsions  are  due  to  an  irregular  dis- 
charge of  the  nerve-cells,  which  are  in  a  highly  unstable 
condition ;  they  are  independent  of  the  will,  occur  during 
unconsciousness,  are  not  dependent  on  a  stimulus  from 
without,  but  usually  on  no  stimulus  that  we  are  able  to 
trace,  or  else  upon  some  tumor,  etc.,  of  the  brain. 

They  occur  unexpectedly,  last  a  variable  period,  the 
spasms  are  usually  either  of  the  nature  of  one  prolonged 
muscular  contraction  (tonic\  or  from  the  first  or  following 
on  the  other  variety  they  consist  of  alternate  contraction 
and  relaxation  (clonic).  The  dog  usually  froths  at  the 
mouth,  and  may  bite  the  tongue.  Epilepsy  may  be  heredi- 
tary, or  due  to  injuries  to  the  head  which  have  resulted 
from  severe  concussion,  new  growths,  to  the  irritation  of 
worms,  etc.,  though  it  is  better  to  speak  of  the  disturbance 
in  such  cases  as  convulsions  which  may  be  epileptiform  in 
character  and  reflex,  as  they  certainly  are  when  due  to 
teething  and  worms. 

Fits,  then,  may  arise  from  teething,  from  worms,  indi- 
gestion, and  a  variety  of  causes,  such  as  exhausting  dis- 
eases, nursing  puppies  to  the  point  of  debility,  or  the  virus 
of  certain  diseases,  as  distemper. 

Treatment. — During  the  fit  nothing  can  usually  be 
done  but  to  prevent  the  animal  injuring  himself  as  far  as 
possible,  and  from  escaping  when  deranged  mentally.  If 


320  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

the  fits  be  due  to  a  recognizable  cause — as  worms,  over- 
feeding, etc. — this  must  be  removed  of  course. 

Habitual  epilepsy  had  better  be  treated  with  bromide 
of  potassium  conjoined  with  some  bitter.  Sometimes 
small  doses  of  iodide  of  potassium  prove  useful.  In  all 
cases  of  fits  special  causes  of  excitement  must  be  removed. 

As  the  purpose  of  treatment  is  to  obviate  the  tendency 
to  irritability  of  brain-cells  and  often  excess  of  blood  in 
the  head,  bromide  of  potassium  will  be  worth  a  trial  in 
most  cases  of  convulsions. 

The  body  should  be  kept  warm  and  the  head  cool. 

It  is  often  well  to  hold  a  dog  quiet  and  soothe  him,  and 
wet  the  head.  In  no  case  should  one  dog  be  allowed  to 
see  another  in  a  fit,  as  it  may  induce  a  like  condition,  or 
produce  at  least  a  shock,  if  it  does  not  cause  an  attack  upon 
the  victim.  Dogs  at  shows  sometimes  grow  very  excited. 
They  should  be  removed  to  a  quiet  place,  or  fits  may  re- 
sult ;  cold  to  the  head,  and  bromides,  are  also  indicated.  If 
in  any  case  of  fits  such  measures  do  not  suffice,  the  dog  may 
then  be  placed  in  a  warm  bath,  the  head  being  kept  cool. 

However,  on  account  of  the  reaction  and  the  danger 
from  cold,  this  is  not  to  be  done  unless  other  measures 
fail.  The  convulsions  of  strychnine  poisoning  and  all 
forms  of  fits,  when  the  stomach  is  very  irritable,  may  be 
treated  by  rectal  injection  of  twenty  to  thirty  grains  of 
chloral  hydrate.  In  extreme  cases,  from  whatever  cause, 
when  death  is  threatened  by  a  succession  of  fits,  a  little 
chloroform  and  ether  in  equal  parts  may  be  cautiously 
given  by  inhalation. 

After  fits  dogs  should  always  be  kept  in  a  rather  dark, 
quiet  place,  free  from  all  excitement  for  a  while. 


THE  BOB-TAIL  SHEEP  DOGS  GRIZZLE  BOB  AND  DAIRY  MAID. 
For  description,  see  page  78. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  NERVOUS  SYSTEM.  321 

Vertigo,  or  dizziness,  is  apt  to  occur  in  dogs,  that  are 
overfed,  when  taken  a-field.  They  may  reel,  sit  down 
dazed,  or  fall  over,  without  usually  losing  consciousness. 
Generally  attention  to  the  digestive  tract,  and  exercise 
gradually  increased,  remedy  this  state  of  things. 

Apoplexy  is  a  term  that  has  been  used  for  a  sudden 
attack,  with  loss  of  consciousness,  possibly  convulsions, 
the  former  not  being  of  brief  duration,  as  in  epilepsy,  but 
more  lasting. 

The  causes  are  as  in  the  preceding — excitement,  etc. 

Diagnosis. — It  differs  greatly  from  epilepsy.  Usually 
convulsions  are  not  prominent ;  the  loss  of  consciousness  is 
long-continued,  or,  in  fatal  cases,  permanent,  with  sterto- 
rous (loud  snoring)  breathing,  pupils  altered,  either  con- 
tracted or  dilated,  and  more  or  less  paralysis  of  one  or 
both  sides  of  the  body. 

Causation. — Generally  pressure,  due  mostly  to  haemor- 
rhage within  the  brain,  is  the  cause. 

Treatment. — JSTo  means  are  known  except  operation  of 
removing  the  blood-clot,  and  in  dogs  more  than  in  men 
the  location  of  the  clot  is  difficult. 

We  must  just  wait  in  the  hope  that  the  blood-clot  will 
be  absorbed.  The  treatment  is  "  expectant " — i.  e.,  there 
is  no  routine  treatment,  but  symptoms  must  be  combated 
as  they  arise. 

Paralysis. — Paresis  is  the  term  used  for  a  certain  de- 
gree of  loss  of  voluntary  control  of  the  muscles;  pa- 
ralysis, for  complete  loss.  The  muscles  may  still  contract 
reflexly,  but  not  at  the  command  of  the  will.  The  defect 
may  be  in  the  brain,  spinal  cord,  nerves,  or  the  muscles 
themselves. 


322  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Paralysis,  more  or  less  complete,  often  arises  from 
worms ;  and  when  there  is  no  obvious  canse  for  a  lameness 
in  a  dog,  it  is  well  to  suspect  worms.  The  author  had  a 
cocker  spaniel  that  for  some  days  was  lame  in  one  hind- 
leg.  Treatment  on  suspicion  of  a  sprain,  etc.,  proving 
useless,  she  was  dosed  for  worms.  Four  tape-worms  were 
expelled,  and  the  leg  weakness  at  once  disappeared. 

When  paralysis  is  due  to  disease  of  the  brain  it  is 
always  on  the  side  of  the  body  opposite  to  the  injury 
(lesion). 

Paralysis  very  often  follows  distemper,  and  may  be 
progressive. 

Treatment. — As  recommended  under  "Apoplexy," 
when  the  brain  is  involved. 

If  due  to  a  tumor  of  any  kind  that  can  be  localized,  or 
if  due  to  pressure  from  bone  driven  in,  etc.,  operation  is 
to  be  considered. 

The  paralysis  from  a  bruise  or  that  which  follows  dis- 
temper is  well  treated  by  counter-irritation  and  massage. 
After  all  acute  symptoms  have  subsided,  small  doses  of 
iodide  of  potassium  for  a  couple  of  weeks,  or,  it  may  be, 
syrup  of  the  iodide  of  iron,  are  worth  trial. 

Later,  nux  vomica  or  strychnine,  in  very  minute  and 
gradually  increasing  doses,  may  be  useful,  with  such  addi- 
tional treatment  as  each  case  seems  to  call  for. 

Meningitis. — This  term  implies  an  inflammation  of  the 
coverings  (meninges)  of  the  brain  or  spinal  cord.  It  may 
be  either  spinal,  cerebral,  or  both  combined. 

The  general  pathology  is  much  as  in  inflammation  of 
other  membranes,  as  the  pleura,  but,  from  the  peculiar 
confined  condition  of  the  brain,  the  pain  is  intense,  and 


DISEASES  OF  THE  NERVOUS  SYSTEM.  323 

naturally  the  brain  partakes  in  the  disturbance,  so  that  the 
psychic  symptoms  are  very  pronounced. 

Causation. — This  is  often  obscure,  but  it  may  be  the 
result  of  blows,  wounds,  ostitis,  great  heat,  extreme  cold, 
etc. 

Symptoms. — Intense  pain  in  the  head,  acuteness  of  all 
the  senses  at  first,  extreme  sensitiveness  over  the  whole 
body  (hypermthesia)  perhaps,  restlessness,  greatly  altered 
expression,  mental  aberration,  passing  on  to  delirium, 
mania,  and  finally  stupor  (coma). 

Diagnosis. — This  affection  is  liable  to  be  mistaken  for 
rabies,  but  there  is  no  need  to  make  such  an  error.  In 
this  disease  vomiting  is  common ;  not  so  in  rabies.  The 
temperature  is  much  elevated  in  most  cases  of  meningitis, 
but  little  in  rabies ;  the  voice  is  high-pitched,  the  animal 
snaps,  etc.,  but  he  does  not  tear  up  things  about  him,  or 
show  a  tendency  to  bite  other  animals;  there  is  not  the 
peculiar  bark  and  howl  combined,  as  in  rabies. 

The  animal  suspected  of  rabies  should  never  be  killed 
off-hand,  as  it  may  be  a  mere  temporary  excitement  from 
which  he  is  suffering.  It  is  well  to  handle  all  such  ani- 
mals with  thick  gloves,  so  that  biting  may  not  occur, 
especially  as  the  imagination  of  man  is  so  active  and  can 
induce  false  rabies  (lyssophobia\  which  may  end  fatally, 

The  prognosis  in  acute  meningitis  is  bad. 

When  spinal,  there  is  generally  great  tenderness  over 
this  region,  and  spasms,  or  possibly,  in  the  later  stages, 
paralysis — which  also  occur  in  cerebral  meningitis.  Squint, 
alterations  in  the  pupils,  etc.,  are  not  uncommon. 

Treatment. — Counter-irritation  to  the  back  of  the  head 
and  nape  of  the  neck,  or,  in  spinal  meningitis,  along  each 


324  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

side  of  the  spine.  Over  the  main  portion  of  the  head, 
cold  constantly  applied  in  the  form  of  cloths  dipped  in 
ice- water  and  often  changed,  or  the  ice-cap;  bromide  of 
potassium  given  frequently ;  the  bowels  well  opened ;  the 
bladder  relieved  by  a  catheter,  if  the  urine  be  retained, 
etc.  But  the  cold  applications  and  bromides  must  be  the 
chief  reliance  in  the  acute  stage. 

After  effusion,  iodide  of  potassium,  good  food,  counter- 
irritation,  etc.,  are  indicated.  If  there  be  convulsions  at 
any  stage,  in  addition  to  the  above  belladonna  may  be 
tried. 

If  the  heart  be  vigorous,  chloral  hydrate  may  be  com- 
bined with  bromide  of  potassium  at  the  outset,  but  not 
continued,  as  it  depresses  the  heart  dangerously. 

When  subacute  or  chronic  the  disease  is  difficult  to 
recognize,  and  the  diagnosis  is  got  at  by  a  process  of  ex- 
clusion. Stupidity,  drowsiness,  alteration  of  disposition, 
twitchings,  etc.,  should  arouse  suspicion.  The  history 
may  throw  light  on  the  case. 

The  treatment  should  be  as  for  the  later  stages  of  the 
acute  form. 

Hydrocephalus — "large  head/'  "water  on  the  brain," 
etc. — may  occur  in  puppies  owing  to  an  excess  of  the  fluid 
of  the  ventricles  of  the  brain,  possibly  related  to  chronic 
inflammation.  The  prognosis  is  bad,  though  iodide  of 
potassium,  tonics,  etc.,  may  be  tried. 

Tetanus  is  a  dreadful  and  generally  fatal  disease.  It  is 
due  to  an  irritable  condition  of  the  nerve-centers,  now  be- 
lieved to  be  caused  by  specific  germs,  in  most  if  not  all 
cases,  which  results  in  more  or  less  constant  discharges 
from  the  motor-cells  of  the  brain  and  spinal  cord,  giving 


DISEASES  OF  THE  NERVOUS  SYSTEM.  325 

rise  to  tetanic  or  constant  contraction  of  the  muscles.  The 
germs  enter  the  system  through  some  open  wound,  though 
it  is  not  always  possible  to  trace  the  chain  of  events.  It 
is,  fortunately,  not  common  in  the  dog. 

When  the  muscles  of  mastication  are  involved  it  may  be 
impossible  to  give  either  food  or  medicine  by  the  mouth. 

Treatment. — Perfect  rest,  quiet,  sedatives,  and  nutri- 
ment. Chloral  hydrate,  if  necessary,  by  the  rectum  or  by 
hypodermic  injection,  nutrient  enemata,  and,  later,  stimu- 
lants. Opium  hypodermically  may  also  be  tried.  The 
prognosis  is  very  bad.  Death  may  result  from  exhaustion, 
or  from  suffocation  owing  to  failure  of  the  respiratory 
muscles.  Anti-toxic  serum  from  immunized  animals  is 
now  on  trial. 

Chorea. — We  do  not  know  the  essential  pathological 
condition  underlying  those  irregular,  more  or  less  con- 
stant, muscular  movements  that  go  by  the  name  St.  Vitus's 
dance,  megrim,  chorea,  etc.  These  irregular,  involun- 
tary discharges  of  the  motor-cells  may  apparently  be  due 
to  many  causes. 

Usually  only  certain  groups  of  motor  nerve-cells,  and 
consequently  only  certain  groups  of  muscles,  are  affected. 
The  movements  may  or  may  not  cease  during  sleep. 
Generally  there  are  no  febrile  symptoms,  and  the  animal's 
health  may  seem  to  be  otherwise  perfectly  good. 

It  is  certainly  associated  with  the  presence  of  worms 
in  the  intestinal  tract  in  some  instances,  but  it  most  fre- 
quently is  a  sequence  of  distemper.  It  may  also  follow 
on  nervous  shock  from  fright,  as  when  a  dog  is  thrown 
into  water ;  against  which,  and  against  plunging  rashly  into 
a  bath-tub  without  any  warning,  we  wish  to  protest. 


328  THE  DOG  1N  DISEASE. 

In  the  dog  the  disease  is  certainly  mostly  of  a  func- 
tional character — i.  e.,  no  lesion  can  usually  be  discovered 
even  with  the  microscope,  as  has  been  proved  by  careful 
autopsies  and  microscopic  examinations  instituted  at  the 
author's  own  suggestion.  The  poison  of  distemper  weak- 
ens the  cells,  and  they  discharge  irregularly  and  without 
the  normal  stimulus  of  the  will-power. 

Except  when  due  to  worms,  etc.,  the  prognosis  is  bad. 
Few  cases  following  distemper  ever  wholly  recover. 

Treatment. — Apart  from  attention  to  the  general 
health,  only  two  or  three  drugs  seem  to  have  been  of  any 
use  whatever.  The  disease  has  proved  practically  incurable. 

We  prefer  to  commence  with  small  doses  of  iodide  of 
potassium,  in  case  there  may  be  any  morbid  growths  press- 
ing on  the  nerve-centers.  Counter-irritation  might  be 
worth  a  trial — i.  e.,  over  the  part  of  the  cord  correspond- 
ing to  the  affected  muscles. 

Nux  vomica  or  strychnine  and  arsenic  are  the  drugs  in 
which  most  confidence  is  placed.  Some  administer  them 
together.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  give  one  in  the  morning 
and  the  other  in  the  evening. 

Upon  the  whole,  freshly  prepared  liquor  arsenicalis 
does  very  well.  It  may  be  mixed  with  the  animal's  food, 
but  never  given  on  an  empty  stomach.  Commencing 
with,  say,  three  drops  in  water,  after  a  few  days  the  dose 
may  be  gradually  increased  to  ten ;  then,  after  a  brief  ces- 
sation from  dosing,  begin  again,  say,  with  five  drops,  and 
increase  in  the  same  way  to  fifteen,  and  so  on  till  twenty 
or  thirty  drops,  in  the  case  of  large  dogs,  may  be  reached. 
The  other  remedies  may  be  pushed  in  a  similar  manner, 
but  not  to  very  large  doses. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  NERVOUS  SYSTEM.  327 

Arsenic  should  always  be  stopped  when  the  constitu- 
tional symptoms  of  its  action — as  reddened  eyes,  whitish 
tongue,  nausea,  etc. — show  themselves.  The  same  applies 
to  strychnine  and  nux  vomica.  Any  stiffness  or  tendency 
to  spasms  demands  an  immediate  withdrawal  of  these 
drugs.  Phosphates  and  cod-liver  oil  may  do  good  in 
very  mild  cases. 

When  both  paralysis  and  chorea  follow  distemper  the 
case  is  nearly  hopeless,  and  the  animal  may  soon,  in  spite 
of  care,  become  so  wretched  that  it  is  kindness  to  chloro- 
form him  to  death. 

Hyoscyamin  in  small  doses  may  be  tried,  but  with  no 
great  degree  of  hopefulness,  in  pure  chorea. 

Injuries  to  the  Brain. — In  consequence  of  violent  blows, 
falls,  etc.,  there  may  be  concussion,  or,  if  rupture  of  a 
blood-vessel  or  fracture  of  the  skull,  compression  of  the 
brain. 

It  is  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  distinguish  these 
when  they  do  not  occur  together,  as  is  commonly  the  case. 

Bleeding  from  the  nose,  and  especially  from  the  ears, 
is  suggestive  of  fracture  of  the  base  of  the  skull. 

Unconsciousness,  alteration  in  the  mobility  or  size  of 
the  pupils,  either  as  compared  with  each  other  or  with  the 
normal,  points  to  compression. 

The  symptoms  of  compression  from  a  blood-clot  or 
other  cause  have  been  already  dwelt  on  (see  "  Apoplexy  "). 
They  may  be  sudden,  or  gradually  increasing  to  the  point 
of  complete  paralysis,  coma,  and  death. 

Treatment. — Little  can  be  done  but  meet  the  indica- 
tions as  they  arise.  If  possible,  keep  the  bowels  and  blad- 
der free,  administer  nourishment  or  stimulants,  and  await 


328  THE  DOG  IX  DISEASE. 

the  results  of  Nature's  intervention.  As  before  remarked, 
if  there  be  depressed  bone,  it  should  be  elevated  by  opera- 
tion (trephining). 

Affections  of  the  Nerves. — The  nerves  are  occasionally 
the  seat  of  painful  tumors  (neuromata,  etc.),  giving  rise,  it 
may  be,  to  sudden  or  more  or  less  continuous  pain,  mus- 
cular twitchings,  etc. 

Whenever  an  animal  holds  any  part  of  its  body  more 
or  less  rigidly,  walks  gingerly,  or  utters  loud  cries  now 
and  then,  the  case  calls  for  special  examination.  Recently 
a  dog  fell  under  the  author's  observation  with  such  symp- 
toms. As  the  case  seemed  hopeless,  he  was  chloroformed 
to  death,  when  a  careful  examination  revealed  a  tumor 
pressing  on  one  of  the  nerves  of  the  brachial  plexus  as  it 
issued  from  the  spinal  column. 

Neuralgia,  or  pain  in  a  nerve,  is  to  be  suspected  in  a 
dog  that  cries  out  apparently  with  pain  when  colic,  menin- 
gitis, etc.,  can  be  excluded,  ai;d  especially  if  he  has  bad 
teeth. 

The  treatment  must  depend  on  the  cause.  If  a  de- 
cayed tooth,  it  should  be  removed ;  if  from  cold  or  some 
constitutional  defect,  then  attention  to  the  digestive  tract 
and  to  the  diet  will  be  the  first  consideration,  with  relief 
of  pain. 

If  periodic,  a  good  dose  of  quinine  (three  to  seven 
grains),  a  couple  of  hours  before  the  attack,  is  indicated. 

A  dose  of  Dover's  powder  internally,  with  counter- 
irritation  over  the  part  affected,  or  a  hypodermic  injection 
of  morphia  in  the  same  region,  may  be  required. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  SKIN.  329 

DISEASES  OF  THE   SKIN. 

The  structure  and  functions  of  the  skin  have  already 
(page  117)  been  considered,  as  well  as  the  reasons  why 
disorders  of  this  region  are  so  frequent  in  the  dog.  Dis- 
temper, parasites,  and  skin  diseases  are  the  bane  of  all 
large  kennels  of  dogs,  and  with  the  greatest  care  they  will 
occasionally  occur,  while  in  the  absence  of  especial  pre- 
cautions a  kennel  may  be  demoralized  if  not  destroyed. 
Diseases  of  the  skin  are  not  usually  of  themselves  fatal, 
but  they  may  so  undermine  a  dog's  constitution  that  he 
becomes  the  victim  of  some  fatal  malady. 

We  wish  once  more  to  insist  on  the  close  connection 
between  derangements  of  the  digestive  organs  and  of  the 
skin,  to  be  explained  reflexly  as  well  as  by  the  deteriora- 
tion of  the  blood  by  poisons  introduced  from  the  alimen- 
tary tract  through  imperfections  in  the  digestive  processes. 

Skin  diseases  may  be  divided  into  parasitic  and  non- 
parasitic,  but  in  any  case  they  all,  sooner  or  later,  become 
inflammation  of  the  skin ;  and  it  is  from  this  point  of  view 
that  they  are  most  profitably  studied  and  treated. 

Instead  of  considering  the  numerous  phases  of  cutane- 
ous inflammation  as  so  many  separate  diseases,  it  is  much 
more  simple,  rational,  and,  we  think,  practical,  to  consider 
the  causes  and  treatment  of  inflammations  of  this  great 
organ  as  a  whole. 

Causation. — Inflammation  is  a  perverted  nutrition 
(metabolism)  of  a  part,  and  its  symptoms  are  the  same  in 
the  skin  as  elsewhere,  but  modified  by  the  fact  of  exposure 
to  the  atmosphere,  etc.  The  cause  is  external  or  internal 
irritation. 


330  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

The  external  sources  of  irritation  may  be  parasites — 
vegetable  or  animal — or  bedding  that  is  old,  damp,  satu- 
rated with  exhalations  from  the  animal's  body,  or  possibly 
urine  or  faeces. 

The  above  may  be  direct  exciting  causes,  but  such  are 
not  essential  to  skin  disease.  Certain  conditions  of  body 
predispose^  and  these  arise  from  excessive  or  otherwise 
improper  feeding,  lack  of  exercise,  or  starvation,  and  gen- 
eral inattention  to  sanitary  surroundings. 

It  is  always  to  be  remembered  that  pure-bred  dogs  are 
disordered  by  an  environment  in  which  a  mongrel  might 
do  fairly  well.  So  common  a  cause  is  overfeeding,  that  a 
certain  form  of  inflammation  of  the  skin  has  been  called 
"  surfeit "  or  blotch. 

Of  course  the  presence  of  parasites,  by  the  itching  some 
of  them  cause,  leads  the  subject  to  scratch  so  much  that 
this  of  itself  suffices  to  explain  the  inflammation,  altogether 
apart  from  their  own  biting  and  burrowing. 

Pathological  Condition  and  Symptoms. — As  in  other 
inflammations,  there  is  heat,  redness,  pain  or  tenderness, 
and  swelling;  but  these  are  present  in  very  varying  de- 
grees in  different  cases.  Perhaps  the  most  typical  form 
of  inflammation  is  that  known  as  eczema.  A  localized, 
swollen,  more  or  less  red,  tender  area,  known  as  a  pimple 
{papule),  appears,  which  soon  has  its  epithelial  covering 
raised  by  exudation  from  the  blood-vessels  and  becomes 
a  vesicle,  which  may  be  filled  with  a  clear,  a  turbid,  or 
a  purulent  fluid.  In  the  latter  case  it  constitutes  a  pus- 
tule. These  sooner  or  later  burst;  the  fluid  escapes, 
irritates  the  adjoining  skin,  and  dries  into  more  or  less 
well-defined  scabs.  If  the  animal  scratches,  these  may 


DISEASES  OF  THE  SKIN.  331 

bleed  or  become  ulcers,  or  they  may  run  together,  and 
large  patches  of  skin  may  thus  be  involved  in  a  common 
condition.  If  this  state  of  things  continues,  deep  sores 
may  form. 

It  may  be  that  from  the  first  the  inflammatory  condi- 
tion may  be  somewhat  different ;  there  may  be  no  vesicles, 
pustules,  or  exudations,  but  a  redness  of  the  skin  with  dry 
exfoliation  of  the  epithelium  in  a  sort  of  coarse  dandruff. 
Such  a  condition  is  often  termed  pityriasis  rulra,  and 
may  occur  over  the  whole  body. 

Again,  there  may  be  an  eruption  of  papules  small  and 
more  readily  felt  than  seen,  each  one  being  distinct  and 
giving  a  "  shotty  feel,"  a  condition  known  as  prurigo. 

Generally,  in  the  less  acute  (subacute)  forms  there  is 
little  exudation,  etc.  Chronic  conditions  are  marked  by 
thickening,  loss  of  flexibility,  a  tendency  to  crack,  exten- 
sive loss  of  hair,  etc. 

Since  the  hair  follicles  may  be  involved,  loss  of  hair  is 
very  common  in  all  forms  of  skin  disease.  The  exact 
course  of  the  inflammation  is  determined  not  alone  by  the 
cause,  but  depends  on  whether  the  dog  is  long-haired  or 
the  reverse,  the  nature  of  the  treatment,  and  his  individu- 
ality. 

More  or  less  tenderness  or  actual  pain,  itchiness,  irri- 
tability of  temper,  possibly  restlessness,  even  to  the  point 
of  sleeplessness  in  extreme  cases,  with  corresponding  failure 
in  the  general  health,  are  common.  However,  in  all  such 
matters  there  is  the  greatest  range  of  variability. 

Diagnosis. — It  is  highly  important  to  distinguish  be- 
tween parasitic  inflammations  of  the  skin  and  those  not 

due  to  this  cause.     The  principal  diseases  of  the  skin  de- 
23 


332 


THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 


pendent  on  vegetable  parasites  are  ringworm  (Tinea  ton- 
surans)  &n&favus. 

Ringworm  occurs  in  more  or  less  circular,  well-defined 
patches,  from  which  the  hair  falls,  and  which  are  covered 
with  a  fine  scurf. 

Favns  is  characterized,  after  the  earliest  scurfy  stage, 
by  peculiar  crusts  of  a  sulphur-yellow  color  and  a  smell  of 
mice.  Beneath  these,  cup-shaped  ulcers  are  found.  In 
both  diseases  spores  or  branches  (mycelium}  of  a  vegetable 
growth  (mold)  may  be  discovered  by  the  microscope. 

Follicular  Mange  is  caused  by  a  sort  of  mite  (Acarus 
folliculorum\  which  lodges  in  the  hair  follicles  and  seba- 
ceous glands  and  sets  up 
inflammation.  It  is  likely 
that  a  vegetable,  fungoid 
growth  akin  to  that  caus- 
ing ringworm  is  an  addi- 
tional source  of  the  mis- 
chief. 

Sarcoptic  Mange,  or 
dog  itch,  is  due  to  a  mite 
(Sarcoptes  canis).  The 
female,  the  larger,  bores 
into  the  skin,  there  bur- 
rows, and  lays  a  multi- 
tude of  eggs  that  soon 
hatch  out,  the  young  run- 
ning over  the  surface  to 

repeat  the  story.  The  irritation  gives  rise  to  intense 
itching,  and  an  inflammation,  with  distinct  small  papules, 
surmounted  by  pointed  (not  flat,  as  in  eczema)  vesicles. 


FIG.  27.— SARCOPTES  CANIS  (GERLACH). 


DISEASES  OF  THE  SKIN.  333 

This  is  very  contagious — more  so  than  the  follicular 
mange ;  there  is  much  more  irritation,  itching,  etc. 

The  hair  follicles  are  greatly  affected  in  the  follicular 
disease,  and  the  scabs  have  a  peculiar  sort  of  moldy  smell. 
Tenderness  replaces  itching.  It  is  more  common  in  young 
dogs. 

In  the  early  stages  the  diagnosis  from  eczema  is  not 
difficult ;  later,  the  microscope  alone  may  decide. 

Though  nearly  all  skin  diseases  in  the  dog  are  popular- 
ly termed  "  mange,"  true  itch  is  rare  as  compared  with 
eczema,  which  is  very  common.  "When  a  skin  disease 
rapidly  spreads  through  a  kennel,  mange  is  to  be  sus- 
pected ;  though  the  possibility  of  several  dogs  being  af- 
fected in  a  like  way,  from  gorging,  is  not  to  be  forgotten. 

Follicular  mange  is  apt  to  begin  about  the  head. 

If  not  soon  cured,  both  become  associated  with  eczema 
from  irritation,  when  the  diagnosis  becomes  more  difficult, 
but  generally  possible  by  the  help  of  the  microscope. 

Eczema  is,  in  the  larger  proportion  of  cases,  a  consti- 
tutional disease,  or  the  expression  of  a  disorder  within. 
AH  the  forms  of  parasitic  disease  are  essentially  local, 
though,  from  the  irritation  they  produce,  the  constitution 
soon  suffers. 

An  investigation  into  the  whole  environment  of  the 
patients  is  always  advisable,  both  for  purposes  of  diagnosis 
and  treatment.  In  a  large  proportion  of  cases  the  disease 
will  turn  out  to  be  eczema,  due  to  excessive  or  scanty 
feeding,  improper  diet,  etc. 

Is  eczema  contagious  ?  One  has  only  to  observe  the 
effect  of  the  exudation  on  comparatively  healthy  skin  to  be 
convinced  of  its  irritating  effect.  That  the  discharge  can 


334:  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

produce  irritation  and  inflammation  is  certain,  and  in  tliis 
sense  it  is  contagious.  It  is  better  to  act  on  this  assump- 
tion and  keep  the  dog  pretty  much  to  himself,  and  espe- 
cially not  allow  others  to  sleep  with  him. 

Sarcoptic  mange  is  so  extremely  contagious,  that  when 
there  are  several  dogs  in  a  kennel  all,  or  nearly  all,  will  be- 
come affected ;  and  it  spreads  rapidly  over  the  body  from  a 
small  beginning  in  separate  vesicles  that  lead  to  a  whitish 
line,  the  burrow  of  the  insect.  The  irritation  in  mange  is 
so  great,  that  a  dog  may  rapidly  lose  flesh  and  fall  off  in 
health  generally.  Follicular  mange  is  also  contagious. 

Treatment. — The  indications  are  to  remove  the  cause, 
allay  irritation,  stimulate  enfeebled  parts  of  the  skin,  re- 
lieve the  skin  by  acting  on  other  parts,  correct  constitu- 
tional aberrations,  etc. 

Parasitic  disease  when  due  to  animals  is  much  more 
readily  managed,  follicular  mange  excepted,  than  when 
vegetable  organisms  are  concerned.  Prompt  measures 
soon  kill  the  dog-mite,  break  up  its  burrows,  and  destroy 
the  eggs. 

Suppose  the  case  to  be  quite  recent,  very  little  inflam- 
mation of  the  skin  yet  present,  and  consequently  few 
scabs,  the  dog  should  be  well  washed  with  soft  soap,  the 
rubbing  and  scrubbing  being  of  the  most  thorough  char- 
acter. 

An  ointment  the  basis  of  which  is  sulphur  will  com- 
plete the  work  within  a  few  days,  so  far  as  destroying  the 
parasites  themselves  is  concerned,  but  eczema  may  remain 
and  require  additional  treatment. 

In  the  management  of  all  skin  diseases,  not  only  the 
remedy  but  its  mode  of  application  is  of  great  importance. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  SKIN.  335 

The  Application  of  Remedies. — As  the  object  of  all 
local  remedies  is  to  affect  the  skin  itself,  it  may  be  neces- 
sary, though  not  usually,  to  remove  the  hair  from  the 
diseased  patches  of  skin  by  clipping  as  close  as  possible. 

As  to  whether  a  lotion  or  an  ointment  shall  be  chosen, 
must  depend  on  whether  the  dog  has  a  long  or  a  short  coat, 
whether  clipping  away  of  hair  is  admissible,  the  stage  of 
the  disease,  etc. 

Both  lotions  and  ointments  should  be  applied  as  dress- 
ings when  possible — i.  e.,  the  parts  should  be  covered  with 
cotton  dipped  in  the  lotions  and  evaporation  prevented  by 
impermeable  material,  or  the  cotton  covering  the  parts 
smeared  with  ointment  may  be  dipped  in  oil.  This  keeps 
the  former  from  being  rubbed  or  licked  off.  Moreover, 
when  the  limbs  are  affected,  a  bandage  nicely  applied  is 
comfortable,  and  favors  the  circulation  of  the  blood. 

Such  methods  are  not,  however,  always  applicable, 
from  the  disease  being  very  extensive  or  from  some  other 
cause. 

As  any  oily  substance  applied  to  the  skin  naturally 
checks  its  proper  functions,  ointments  should  never  be 
employed  continuously,  however  suitable,  but  will  always 
be  found  more  useful  if  washed  off  every  few  days. 

In  using  any  ointment  or  lotion  it  is  well  to  apply  it 
over  only  a  small  part  of  the  affected  surface,  to  learn 
whether  it  is  suitable  or  not;  or  two  or  three  different 
applications  may  be  compared  in  their  effects ;  for  a  rem- 
edy that  will  help  one  case  will  only  make  another  worse, 
and  what  is  most  useful  at  one  stage  of  the  disease  will  be 
harmful  at  another.  Moreover,  a  lotion  or  ointment  that 
may  soothe  when  of  a  certain  strength,  will  irritate  when 


336  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

stronger.  Before  discussing  special  forms  of  skin  disease 
further,  a  few  of  the  principles  that  underlie  treatment  in 
general  will  now  be  considered. 

Principles  of  Treatment. — Lotions  are  most  efficacious 
in  the  early  stages  of  inflammation,  before  there  is  exuda- 
tion and  the  formation  of  scabs,  or  they  may  be  used  to 
soften  scabs  and  soothe  at  the  same  time ;  however,  some 
kind  of  oil  or  oily  substance  will  best  answer  this  purpose. 
In  all  cases,  before  applying  an  ointment,  scabs  should  be 
removed,  as  they  only  tend  to  keep  the  application  from 
the  diseased  skin. 

Generally  the  very  best  way  to  begin  all  local  treat- 
ment is  by  washing  the  dog,  though,  of  course,  the  season 
and  all  the  circumstances  must  be  taken  into  the  account. 

Crusts  or  scabs  may  be  softened  by  washing  in  water 
containing  a  little  sodium  carbonate  (washing  soda),  which 
is  soothing  in  itself.  However,  in  general,  oil  applied  to 
the  skin,  if  scabs  have  formed,  washing  the  animal  in  a 
couple  of  hours,  or  as  soon  as  the  scabs  are  moderately 
soft,  with  strong  carbolic  soap,  will  have  a  good  effect, 
as  carbolic  acid  allays  irritation  and  favors  healthy  ac- 
tion of  the  skin.  A  little  crude  carbolic  acid  put  into 
the  washing- water — enough  to  make  its  presence  percepti- 
ble to  the  hand — will  serve  the  purpose,  and  is  cheaper, 
some  Castile  soap  being  used  to  lather  the  dog.  If  the 
skin  is  very  tender,  eggs  beaten  up  may  replace  soap.  In 
all  cases,  when  carbolic  acid  is  used,  the  dog  should  be 
well  rinsed  with  water  not  too  cold. 

Having  got  the  subject  ready  for  the  application  of 
some  remedy,  the  next  thing  is  to  determine  what  one. 
Is  the  skin  broken,  or  only  red  and  tender?  Are  there 


DISEASES  OF  THE  SKIN.  337 

ulcers?  Is  thickening  and  loss  of  hair  prominent?  etc., 
are  among  the  questions  to  be  considered.  Ointments  are 
more  continuous  in  their  action,  unless  lotions  be  applied, 
as  suggested  above. 

The  following  hints  as  to  the  preparation  and  use  of 
certain  drugs  are  to  be  remembered :  Glycerin,  when  pure, 
tar,  turpentine,  balsams,  coal  oil,  etc.,  are  all  stimulating 
and  unsuitable  for  the  most  acute  form  of  a  skin  inflamma- 
tion, though  valuable  in  subacute  and  chronic  forms.  So- 
dium carbonate  and  bicarbonate,  borax,  acetate  of  lead, 
etc.,  are  soothing  in  most  cases. 

The  best  basis  for  ointments  is  vaseline,  as  it  does  not 
readily  become  rancid.  Belladonna,  though  an  excellent 
sedative,  is  not  in  the  case  of  the  dog  to  be  used  in  oint- 
ments, as  it  may  be  licked  off  and  cause  poisoning.  Opium, 
though  seldom  required,  is  not  so  dangerous. 

Itching  may  be  relieved  by  the  addition  to  ointments 
and  lotions  of  alkalies,  carbolic  acid,  and  rarely  opiates. 

Sulphur,  in  powder,  dusted  through  the  hair  down  to 
the  skin,  is  soothing ;  and  dry  oxide  of  zinc  is  useful  when 
exudation  is  excessive. 

In  non-parasitic  disease  the  internal  treatment  may  be 
the  more  important  of  the  two,  as  generally  the  cause  of 
the  trouble  is  to  be  traced  to  some  disorder  of  the  digest- 
ive organs.  The  state  of  the  bowels  should  be  especially 
attended  to,  and  the  diet.  Sulphur,  Epsom  salts,  cream  of 
tartar,  and  bicarbonate  of  soda,  are  useful.  Violent  purg- 
ing is  usually  not  required.  Often  the  liver  is  at  fault,  and 
the  portal  circulation  sluggish ;  in  this  case  one  of  the 
officinal  compound  cathartic  pills  at  night,  and  a  saline  in 
the  morning,  may  prove  efficient. 


338  THE  V°G   1N  DISEASE. 

Sulphur  has,  besides  its  laxative  effect,  a  good  influence 
on  the  skin  of  the  dog,  and  may  be  given  day  after  day 
for  a  time  with  the  food,  or,  combined  with  cream  of  tar- 
tar, in  syrup. 

Arsenic  is  never  to  be  given  in  the  acute  form  of  skin 
disease,  and  when  used,  as  pointed  out  before,  the  dose 
must  be  small  at  first,  increased  gradually,  never  given  on 
an  empty  stomach  or  undiluted,  stopped  every  now  and 
then,  and  not  continued  when  the  digestion  is  poor  or 
symptoms  of  irritation  show,  as  evidenced  by  coated  whit- 
ish tongue,  red  eyes,  etc. 

Arsenic  is  the  most  valuable  constitutional  remedy  we 
possess  in  chronic  cases  when  judiciously  employed. 

In  cases  that  resist  all  ordinary  treatment  a  few  doses  of 
calomel,  small  and  speedily  worked  off  by  salines,  may  act 
well. 

The  general  health  of  the  dog  is  always  to  be  consid- 
ered. When  very  thin  or  debilitated,  tonics  and  cod-liver 
oil  are  demanded. 

Diet  is,  in  eczema,  of  the  utmost  importance.  In  a 
large  number  of  cases  the  dog  is  overfed.  In  such  a 
case  a  fast  of  twenty-four  hours  will  often  be  the  very 
best  treatment.  In  all  cases  a  complete  change  of  diet 
is  desirable. 

If  the  dog  has  been  fed  much  on  meat,  let  him  have 
none  for  a  while,  fcut  a  diet  of  milk  and  bread  or  milk  and 
wheat  porridge.  On  the  other  hand,  if  he  has  been  getting 
only  starchy  food,  or  an  excess  of  it,  a  change  to  meat 
alone  will  be  the  best  natural  medicine.  The  half-starved 
dog  is  very  liable  to  eczema. 

Yery  often  a  long  walk,  or  a  run  of  ten  to  fifteen  miles 


DISEASES  OF   THE  SKIN.  339 

after  a  horse,  an  exciting  hunt  in  the  woods  continued  to 
the  point  of  weariness,  and  followed  by  spare  feeding,  will 
work  wonders. 

If  constipation  exists  it  must  be  overcome,  and  if  by 
exercise  and  dieting,  so  much  the  better.  The  value  of 
vegetables  for  this  purpose  is  not  to  be  forgotten. 

If  for  any  reason  the  sulphur  ointment  can  not  be  used 
in  sarcoptic  mange,  a  lotion  prepared  as  follows  is  cleanly 
and  effective.  It  forms  a  good  standing  mixture  for  a 
kennel.  It  should  not  be  kept  very  long,  but  made  fresh 
every  few  weeks : 

Unslaked  lime,  one  pound ;  sublimed  sulphur,  two 
pounds;  add  two  gallons  of  soft  water;  mix  well  and 
boil  down  to  one  gallon ;  let  stand  till  cool ;  pour  off,  after 
standing  some  hours,  the  clear  liquor ;  filter,  if  necessary. 
Apply  frequently  over  the  whole  body  with  gentle  friction. 

Special  Formulas. 

For  allaying  irritation : 

1.  Salt  -  water    baths,   or    bathing   with   vinegar   and 
water. 

2.  Lotion    of    sodium    carbonate   or    bicarbonate,   or 
borax,  of  the  strength  of  about  ten  grains  to  the  ounce 
of  water. 

Some  glycerin  may  be  added,  thus : 

5  Sod.  biborat 3  jss.; 

Glycerin §  i j  ; 

Aquae  camph 5  yiij- 

Ft.  lot. 

Especially  useful  in  irritable,  scaly,  and  papular  erup- 
tions. 


340  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

As  a  drying,  soothing  lotion  : 

9  Zinci  oxid 3  ij  ; 

Glycerin 3  ss. ; 

Aq.  calc §ij; 

Aquae ad   J  viij. 

Ft.  lot. 

Sig. :  Apply  as  a  lotion. 

The  lead  lotion  recommended  before  (page  309)  is  also 
excellent,  but  it  is  better  to  use  morphia  than  opium,  to 
avoid  staining.  It  is  not  suitable  for  application  over  a 
large  surface,  for,  while  the  dog  is  not  readily  poisoned 
with  opium,  his  stomach  is  easily  disordered  by  this  drug. 

In  some  cases  the  "black  wash"  (calomel  and  lime- 
water)  is  valuable. 

Prepared  chalk  in  the  form  of  ointment  or  wash,  with 
or  without  lime-water,  has  also  given  good  results. 

By  allowing  water  to  stand  over  tar  till  it  tastes  strongly 
of  this  substance,  a  lotion  suitable  for  the  red  unbroken 
skin  may  be  made.  For  the  eczema  that  attacks  the  face, 
especially  the  eyelids  and  eyebrows,  some  form  of  mercu- 
rial ointment  may  be  demanded  (see  page  310).  The  liquor 
plumbi  subacetatis  may  be  combined  with  the  tar-water. 

Soothing  ointments  may  be  made  of  sulphur,  ox- 
ide of  zinc,  borax,  lead  salts  (acetate  and  subacetate),  etc. 
These  ointments  as  officinal  preparations  may  be  pur- 
chased ready-made.  It  may  be  wise  to  dilute  them  at 
times,  or  add  alkalies,  carbolic  acid,  or  opiates. 

The  unguentum  zinci  (officinal)  is  a  most  valuable 
ointment  for  soothing  and  drying;  but  when  parasitic 
disease  is  suspected  the  sulphur  ointment  should  take  its 
place. 


DISEASES  OF  THE  SKIN.  341 

The  former  will  be  found  very  efficacious  in  eczema  of 
the  ear  (canker). 

Such  a  combination   as   the   following  will    suit   sar- 
coptic  mange  and  many  forms  of  eczema : 

5fc  Sulphur,  flor §  ss. ; 

Sod.  carb 3  ss. ; 

Ol.  pic.  liq 3  ij ; 

Yaselin §  iv. 

Ft.  unguent. 

Sig. :  Apply  freely  once  or  twice  daily. 
Lard  or  vegetable  oil  may  be  substituted  for  the  more 
expensive  vaselin. 

For  mange  (sarcoptic),  especially  after  the  first  stage, 
and  also  for  chronic  eczema,  with  thickening ;  for  eczema 
with  a  scurfy  or  scaly  condition  of  skin,  the  officinal  tar 
ointment,  creasote,  balsam  of  Peru,  oil  of  cade,  oil  of  tar, 
kerosene  (coal  oil),  etc.,  are  useful,  properly  combined. 
As  samples  of  combinations,  we  give : 

5  Sulph.  nor §  j  ; 

Bals.  Peruv §  j  ; 

Vaselin J  iv. 

Ft.  unguent. 

Sig. :  Apply  twice  daily  for  three  days,  then  wash  the 
dog  thoroughly. 

Tar  ointment  may  be  conjoined  with  sulphur  ointment, 
one  of  the  former,  four  to  eight  of  the  latter. 

9  Olei  cad §  iij ; 

Acid,  acet §  ij  ; 

Acid,  carbolic 3  ss. ; 

Olei  olivae ad 

Ft.  mist. 


342  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Apply  freely  twice  a  day,  and  wash  the  dog  after 
three  days. 

This  is  an  efficacious  mixture  for  advanced  cases,  but 
disagreeable  to  the  patient  and  to  the  one  who  applies  it. 
For  true  mange  its  efficacy  is  increased,  in  the  opinion  of 
some,  by  the  addition  of  sulphur. 

^  Balsam  Peruv 3  ss-  > 

Vaselin §  ij. 

Ft.  unguent. 

The  balsam  of  Peru,  dissolved  in  five  to  eight  parts  of 
alcohol,  may  of  itself  be  painted  on.  The  last  four  com- 
binations are  useful  in  itch  (mange),  and  when  thick- 
ening, cracks,  etc.,  exist.  The  last  two  are  excellent  for 
cracked  nipples.  Balsam  of  Peru  is  rather  expensive, 
though  an  excellent  remedy. 

Follicular  mange  is  very  difficult  to  cure.  One  of  the 
most  efficacious  remedies  is  carbolic  acid. 

9  Acid,  carbolic §  ss. 

Balsam,  canadens 5  ij  > 

Ft.  unguent. 

Sig. :  Apply  carefully,  heating  if  necessary  to  render 
sufficiently  liquid,  with  a  camel's-hair  pencil,  in  a  thin 
layer  over  a  portion  of  skin  not  to  exceed  two  to  four 
square  inches  at  once,  so  that  carbolic-acid  poisoning  may 
not  follow.  If  necessary,  muzzle  the  dog  to  prevent 
licking. 

The  mercurial  ointments  referred  to  before  (page  305) 
may  also  prove  useful,  or  the  balsam  of  Peru. 

Ringworm  may  be  treated  by  frequent  paintings  over 
and  around  the  affected  area  with  tincture  of  iodine,  St. 
George's  paint  (stronger  than  the  former),  or  the  appli- 


DISEASES  OF  THE  SKIN.  343 

cation  of  mercurial   ointments,  etc.,  as  in  the  last-men- 
tioned disease. 


ria.  28.— TKICOPHYTON  TONSURANS,  THE  VEGETABLE  PARASITE  CAUSING  RINGWORM, 
MAGNIFIED  400  DIAMETERS  (AFTER  PAYNE). 

After  any  of  the  contagious  skin  diseases,  all  with 
which  the  dog  has  been  in  contact,  that  can  be  destroyed 
without  serious  loss,  should  be  burned ;  all  collars,  chains, 
dishes,  etc.,  and  the  whole  kennel,  disinfected  as  well  as 
thoroughly  scrubbed  (see  page  379). 

As  an  excellent  kennel  or  office  mixture  for  dogs  re- 
quiring a  saline,  as  frequently  happens,  and  nearly  always 
when  eczema  occurs,  the  author  recommends  the  follow- 
ing, which  may  be  kept  constantly  on  hand : 

$  Magnes.  sulph 5  iv ; 

Ferri  sulph gr.  xvj  ; 

Acid,  sulph.  aromat 3  ij  5 

Spt.  chloroformi 3  ij  5 

Aquse  menth.  pip 5  XVJ- 

Ft.  mist. 

Sig. :  Give  sufficient  to  move  the  bowels  in  the  morn- 
ing before  food — say  one  to  four  teaspoonfuls  in  water. 


344  THE   DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Of  course,  this  is  not  a  hard  and  fast  formula,  the 
most  essential  part  being  the  saline,  which  is  rendered 
more  agreeable,  and  prevented  from  griping  by  some  of 
the  other  ingredients.  The  whole  is  also  somewhat  of  a 
tonic  to  the  stomach  and  general  system. 

Frequently  a  dog  is  worried  by  great  irritability  of  the 
skin,  though  there  is  no  eruption  or  other  obvious  cause. 
In  these  cases  a  look  at  the  tongue  will  often  reveal  a 
disordered  digestion.  Attention  should  be  given  to  diet, 
etc.  Sulphur,  cream  of  tartar,  and  also  bromide  of 
potassium  often  prove  useful.  Phosphorus  pills  given 
after  food  (-j-J-g-  to  -^  grain)  are  said  to  be  helpful  in  some 
cases.  A  soda  or  salt  bath  is  often  followed  by  relief.  A 
lotion  of  lead  acetate  is  also  very  soothing. 

Occasionally,  as  a  result  of  skin  disease  or  defect  of 
nutrition  of  the  hair  follicles,  the  dog's  coat  almost  all  falls 
out,  or  unsightly  bare  patches  result. 

To  stimulate  the  growth  of  hair,  more  blood  and  nerv- 
ous energy  are  required  in  the  skin ;  so  that  friction,  mas- 
sage, and  stimulating  applications  are  indicated. 

Such  applications  as  cocoa-nut  oil,  or  a  combination  of 
this  oil  with  coal  oil  and  olive  oil,  in  about  equal  parts, 
applied  for  a  couple  of  days  and  then  washed  off,  are  help- 
ful in  many  cases,  especially  if  the  dog  is  shedding  his 
coat — as  he  naturally  does  in  the  spring  and  autumn — too 
slowly ;  or  if  the  restoration  of  hair  after  its  loss  follow- 
ing suckling  puppies  is  tedious.  "Vegetable  oil"  (cot- 
ton-seed oil)  is  cheaper  than  olive  oil,  and  answers  well 
enough. 

The  above  mixture  is  useful  in  true  sarcoptic  mange, 
especially  if  sulphur  be  added,  also  in  chronic  eczema. 


INTERNAL  PARASITES  OR  WORMS.  345 

For  bare  patches,  the  following  may  prove  of  value : 

5  Sod.  biborat 3  j ; 

Tinct.  capsici 3  j  ; 

Glycerin 5  ij  ; 

Aquae ad   §  vj. 

Ft.  mist. 

Sig. :  Apply  with  friction  two  to  four  times  daily. 

After  a  while  the  quantity  of  tincture  of  capsicum 
may  be  increased.  A  very  light  application  of  glycerin 
has  also  been  found  useful  in  recent  cases. 

When  skin  disease  in  any  form  occurs  between  the 
toes,  it  may  be  necessary  to  wrap  up  the  feet  in  medi- 
cated dressings  and  keep  the  patient  quiet. 

It  is  most  important  when  true  sarcoptic  mange  occurs  to 
thoroughly  disinfect  the  kennels  and  everything  with  which 
the  dog  comes  in  contact.  The  same  precautions  should 
be  taken  as  after  a  visitation  of  distemper  (see  p.  379).* 

INTERNAL    PARASITES    OR    WORMS. 

It  is  likely  that  the  estimate  that  three  quarters  of  the 
whole  canine  race  are,  at  some  time,  infested  by  worms, 
and  that  they  cause  more  deaths  than  all  other  causes 
together,  is  about  correct.  To  understand  their  preven- 
tion and  treatment,  a  brief  account  of  their  varieties  and 
life-histories  will  be  necessary. 

It  is  true  that  every  principal  organ  in  the  body  may 
be  the  seat  of  some  form  of  parasite.  Some  of  these  are, 
however,  of  such  rare  occurrence  that  they  are  mere 
pathological  curiosities,  and  need  not  be  here  described. 

*  Modern  skin  specialists  attribute  more  importance  to  vegetable 
parasites  than  ever  before ;  hence  the  value  of  sulphur,  etc. 


34:6  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Practically  we   have   to  do  with  nematode,  or  round 
worms,  and  cestode,  or  tape-worms. 


FlQ.  29.—  EUSTRONGYLUS   GlGAS  (COBBOLD). 

This  parasite  is  occasionally  found  of  great  size  in  the  dog,  especially  in  the  kidney. 

The  principal  round  worm  of  the  dog  is  Ascaris  mar- 
ginata,  pale-red  in  color,  round,  tapering  to  each  end, 
firm  to  the  feel,  the  sexes  distinct,  propagated  by  eggs 
(ova)  with  great  resisting  power,  and  capable  of  maintain- 
ing their  vitality  for  months,  from  one  to  eight  inches  in 


FIG.  30.— ASCARIDES  (STONEHENGE). 


length,  living  in  the  small  intestine,  and  moving  about 
freely — i.  e.,  not  attached.     Ascaris  mystax  also  occurs. 

The  thread-worm,  or  oxyuris,  is  very  small,  similar  in 
formation  and  mode  of  propagation  to  the  preceding,  lives 


INTERNAL  PARASITES  OR   WORMS.  34? 

in  the  large  intestine,  and  may  descend  low  down  in  the 
rectum. 

The  ova  of  round  worms  may  be  taken  in  with  water, 
etc.,  or  may  hatch  within  the  host,  as  the  creature  is 
termed  that  harbors  them,  possibly  within  the  worm  itself 
in  some  instances. 


Fia.  31.—  T^ENIA  SOLIUM  (STONEHENGK). 
a,  head  ;  6,  generative  orifice. 

The  life-history  and  structure  of  the  tape-worm  is  alto- 
gether different.  Every  tape-worm  consists  of  a  head 
which  is  usually  provided  with  suckers,  booklets,  or  both, 
by  which  it  attaches  itself  to  the  mucous  covering  of  the 

intestines,  of  segments  (proglottides)  that  are  budded  oil 

24 


348 


THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 


from  the  head  end,  and  which  contain  both  male  and 
female  generative  organs ;  so  that  a  tape-worm  is  an  exam- 
ple of  an  animal  in  which  the  sexes  are  combined  (her- 
maphrodite). When  each  segment  is  perfect,  it  produces  a 
vast  number  of  eggs  and  drops  away  from  the  main 
colony.  Those  farthest  from  the  head,  being  the  oldest, 
come  away  first. 

When  these  segments  find  their  way  into  certain  ani- 
mals the  eggs  are  set  free  by  digestion  of  parts  surround- 


FIG.  32.— HEAD  OF  BOTH- 
RIOCEPHALUS  LATUS 
MAGNIFIED  (STONE- 
BENGE). 


FIG.  33.  —  HEAD  OF 
TJSNIA  SOLIUM 
MAGNIFIED  (AFT- 
ER HELLER). 


FIG.  34.— HEAD  OF  T.E- 
NIA  MEDIOCANELLATA 
MAGNIFIED  (AFTER 
HELLER). 


ing  them. 


The  eggs  hatch  out  into  embryos,  which  under- 
go development  up  to  a  certain  point,  but  do  not  become 
tape-worms  in  that  species  of  animal  but  usually  migrate 
from  the  alimentary  canal  into  some  other  organ,  com- 
monly the  liver,  there  forming  often  hydatids,  or  cysts, 
and  proving  fatal  to  their  host.  But  when  these  hydatids, 
or  immature  tape-worms,  pass  into  that  particular  species 
of  animal  suitable  for  their  development  they  become 
tape-worms. 


INTERNAL  PARASITES  OR  WORMS. 


349 


The  following  are  found  in  the  dog:  Tcenia  mar- 
gin-Ota^  T.  cucumerinay  T.  ser- 
rata,  T.  eehinococcus,  T.  so- 
lium,  and  BoihriocepJialus  la- 
tus,  the  last  two  being  common 
to  man  and  the  dog. 

The  first  three  are  the  most 
common  :  T.  marginata,  the 
intermediate  host  of  wrhich  is 
the  sheep,  may  attain  a  length 
of  eight  to  ten  feet  ;  T.  cucu- 
merina,  the  most  common,  ten 
to  twenty  inches  in  length,  with 
a  very  small  head,  the  segments 
getting  very  gradually  larger 
from  before  backward  ;  T.  ser- 
rata,  intermediate  host  the  hare 
and  rabbit,  twenty  to  forty 
inches  in  length. 

To  illustrate  how  tape-  worm 
is  propagated  and  how  one  ani- 
mal may  prove  a  source  of  dis- 
ease to  many,  we  may  mention 
that  a  larval  or  immature  form 
(Ccenurus  cerebralis)  of  a  tape- 
worm exists  in  the  sheep's 
brain.  If  this  be  taken  into 

the    dog's    Stomach    it  develops 

into  a  mature  tape-worm,  the 

eggS  Of  Which,  if  Swallowed  by 
.  -,          -,  -,    .    -.  . 

the   sheep    in   drinking-water, 


FIG.  35.-T^NiA  SOLIUM  (STONE- 


c,  generative  oi'iflce  ;  ?,  water  vascu- 
lar  canals  ;  g,  ovarian  duct  ;  ft, 
ovarian  receptacle  ;  t,  branched 


350 


THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 


etc.,  become  the  larval  form  referred  to  above ;  and  so  the 
biological  circle  is  completed. 

Again,  it  is  believed  that  the  dog-louse  (Trichodectcs 
canis\  more  frequently,  perhaps,  the  flea  (Pulex  canis\ 
swallows  the  minute  eggs  of  segments  of  the  tape-worm  ex- 
pelled from  the  dog  and  adherent  to  his  hair 
and  proves  the  intermediate  host,  while  these 
parasites  are  again  accidentally  swallowed  by 
the  dog ;  hence  the  vicious  circle. 

It  is  thus  apparent  that  one  dog  with  tape- 
worm may  infect  a  whole  kennel  of  dogs. 
All  sorts  of  worms  in  the  intestinal  tract  live 
on  the  digestive  food  by  which  they  are  sur- 
rounded. They  may  injure  an  animal,  when 
numerous,  by  taking  up  the  nourishment  be- 
longing to  it ;  and  by  irritation,  which  has 
innumerable  reflex  effects  that  express  them- 
selves through  every  system  of  the  body. 
As  it  is  most  important  to  beware  of  these 
symptoms,  we  instance  some  of  them : 

Digestive. — Colic,     diarrhoea,      constipa- 
tion, vomiting,   slimy   stools   of   a   peculiar 
wormy   smell — it    may   be  gray   or  blood- 
stained—  capricious  appetite   or  loss   of    appetite,  bloat- 
ing, etc. 

Circulatory.  —  Blood   impoverished,   shown   by    pale 
gums,  etc. 

Cutaneous. — Harsh  coat,  skin  eruptions,  falling  of  hair. 
Respiratory. — Dry,  hot  nose,  cough.     A  special  form 
of  bronchitis  may  be  caused  by  small  worms  in  the  bron- 
chial tubes. 


FIG.  36.— TJENIA 
ECHINOCOCCUS 
(AFTER  BRIS- 
TOWE). 

a,  Taenia  magni- 
fied 10  diame- 
ters ;  fc,  ovum 
magnified  250 
diameters. 


INTERNAL  PARASITES  OR  WORMS.  351 

Nervous. — Convulsions,  twitchings  in  sleep,  chorea, 
paresis. 

The  general  economy  suffers,  as  shown  by  emaciation, 
dullness,  debility,  etc. 

Round  worms  are  much  more  common  than  tape- 
worm, which  is  rare  in  puppies,  from  which  the  former 
are  seldom  absent  in  pure-bred  dogs. 

Diagnosis. — General  lack  of  vigor,  unthriftiness,  with 
symptoms  of  imperfect  digestion,  especially  bloating, 
should  in  a  young  dog  suffice  to  lead  to  treatment  for 
worms  in  the  absence  of  any  other  obvious  cause.  Much 
attention  to  the  anal  region  suggests  thread-worms; 
marked  emaciation,  with  a  ravenous  appetite,  tape-worm. 
The  segments  may  be  seen  at  times  in  the  stools. 

Prophylaxis. — The  prevention  of  worms  has  been  al- 
luded to  under  treatment  of  the  brood  bitch.  Pup- 
pies get  the  eggs  from  their  dam;  but  if  one  dog  in  a 
kennel  has  worms,  it  is  easy  to  understand  how  they  may 
be  spread  by  dogs  walking  through  the  stools,  licking 
each  other,  etc. 

Milk  can  not  convey  the  germs  of  worms  except  by 
their  getting  into  it  after  it  leaves  the  cow,  which  is  not 
very  likely ;  but  milk  does,  in  large  quantity,  tend  to  relax 
the  digestive  tract,  produce  an  excess  of  mucus,  and,  in  a 
word,  favor  an  environment  in  the  intestine  suitable  to  the 
development  of  worms. 

Continuous  sloppy  food  for  puppies  is  therefore  a  mis- 
take. 

Meals  of  dry  biscuits,  bread-crusts,  etc.,  are  beneficial 
in  clearing  out  mucus  and  ova  of  worms  and  begetting  a 
better  tone  in  this  region. 


352  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Powdered  charcoal,  given  with  the  food  of  puppies,  in 
one-half  to  one-teaspoonful  doses  twice  a  day,  occasionally, 
is  both  a  preventive  and  a  cure  (vermicide).  Every  means 
that  will  produce  a  vigorous  condition  of  the  animal  as  a 
whole,  and  the  intestinal  tract  especially,  will  be  useful. 

Treatment.-—  This  may  be  divided  into  preparatory  and 
medicinal.  The  object  of  treatment  is  primarily  to  expel 
the  worms ;  hence  it  is  important  that  remedies  shall  reach 
them  readily,  and  find  them  in  a  somewhat  famished  con- 
dition. 

It  is  always  desirable  to  allow  the  subject  to  fast — if  a 
weaned  puppy,  eight  to  twelve  hours ;  if  a  dog  over  nine 
months,  from  sixteen  to  twenty-four  hours.  There  will  be 
no  harm  done,  and  possibly  something  gained,  especially 
in  the  case  of  tape-worm,  by  giving  a  dose  of  castor  oil 
several  hours  before  the  anthelmintic  proper. 

The  following  are  the  principal  remedies  recommended 
for  the  round  worm :  Santonine,  wormwood,  calomel  and 
jalap,  pink-root  and  senna,  kousso,  hellebore,  pomegran- 
ate bark,  turpentine,  areca  nut,  kameela  or  pumpkin, 
squash  seeds,  wormseed  oil,  etc. 

For  tape- worm :  Areca  nut,  kousso,  pomegranate,  tur- 
pentine, and  oil  of  male  fern. 

An  old  and  valuable  remedy  for  round  worms,  and  the 
safest  and  best  of  all,  perhaps,  for  very  young  puppies,  is 
wormseed  oil.  This,  in  dose  of  one  to  four  drops,  may  be 
given  to  puppies  of  four  to  six  weeks  of  age.  It  is  well 
to  combine  the  remedy  with  a  drop  of  oil  of  aniseseed  or 
oil  of  peppermint  and  a  drop  of  turpentine,  the  whole  to 
be  well  mixed  with  a  teaspoonful  of  castor  oil  (for  toy 
puppies  a  little  less),  warmed  and  floated  on  a  little  milk. 


INTERNAL  PARASITES  OR  WORMS.  353 

Kousso  and  pomegranate  bark  are  not  now  often  used. 

Such  remedies  as  powdered  glass  need  be  mentioned 
only  to  be  condemned  as  dangerous. 

Pink  and  senna.  An  extract  of  pink  and  senna  com- 
bined is  now  to  be  had  which  is  effective  and  tolerably 
safe.  However,  it  acts  very  dissimilarly  on  different  dogs, 
and  should  be  used  tentatively — i.  e.,  the  dose  should  at 
first  be  much  smaller  than  is  known  to  be  generally  safe. 

It  is  one  of  the  best  remedies  for  puppies  still  sucking. 

Three  weeks  of  age  is  about  the  earliest  at  which  any 
remedy  may  be  used,  and  then  only  in  urgent  cases,  as 
puppies  bear  drugging  very  badly.  About  five  drops  may 
be  given  three  times  daily  for  two  to  three  days,  and  then 
a  dose  of  oil  to  expel  the  dead  worms.  For  older  dogs 
one  half  to  one  teaspoonful  may  be  given  at  a  dose,  and  re- 
peated. For  very  young  puppies  enough  olive  oil  to  relax 
may  serve  to  expel  worms. 

Santonine.  This  remedy  may  be  given  alone  to  pup- 
pies in  doses  of  one  half  to  one  grain,  according  to  age, 
till  three  or  four  doses  have  been  taken  at  intervals  of  an 
hour,  then  followed  by  castor  oil ;  or  santonine  may  be  com- 
bined with  the  preceding  in  puppies  over  five  weeks  of  age. 

Turpentine  is  not  usually  required  for  round  worms. 
Many  object  to  its  use  altogether  for  the  dog  on  account 
of  its  irritating  effect  on  the  kidneys  and  alimentary  tract. 

Given  in  small  doses,  it  is  certainly  very  irritating  to 
the  kidneys,  and  in  a  large  dose  it  may  set  up  gastritis  or 
enteritis. 

However,  as  vermicides,  usually  successful,  fail  with 
some  dogs,  it  may  be  necessary  to  fall  back  on  this  remedy. 

Even  young  puppies  (two  or  three  months)  may  take 


354  THE  DOG  *N  DISEASE. 

five  to  fifteen  drops  of  turpentine  with  safety  if  given 
beaten  up  in  egg,  mucilage,  or  well  mixed  with  castor  oil, 
say  a  teaspoonful  for  ten  drops  of  turpentine.  It  is  im- 
portant that  it  shall  be  quickly  carried  through  the  in- 
testine. 

Areca  (betel)  nut  is,  on  the  whole,  the  best  anthelmin. 
tic  we  know.  Some  maintain  that  it  is  quite  harmless, 
others  that  it  is  dangerous  and  never  to  be  given.  Both 
views  are  extreme.  The  author  has  used  this  remedy  a 
great  deal,  and  has  never  had  one  bad  result.  He  has 
found  it  almost  invariably  efficacious  for  both  the  round 
worm  and  the  tape-worm.  It  seems  to  be  least  certain 
and  most  dangerous  with  young  puppies.  He  would 
never  give  it  to  a  dog  under  five  to  six  weeks,  and  to 
those  under  two  months  only  with  the  greatest  caution. 

To  very  young  puppies,  about  one  grain  to  the  pound 
weight  of  the  dog  is  enough  to  try  at  first.  Generally  one 
grain  and  a  half  to  the  pound  weight  of  the  animal  suffices, 
but,  after  four  months  of  age,  two  grains  is  usually  safe. 

The  author's  plan  is  to  fast  the  animal,  give  the  freshly 
grated,  dark-colored  nut  in  gelatin  capsules,  and,  after 
from  three  quarters  to  one  hour  and  a  half,  according  to 
the  age  of  the  dog,  a  large  dose  of  castor  oil,  to  make  sure 
that  the  remedy  is  removed  from  the  intestine.  If  there 
is  not  a  movement  of  the  bowels  in  half  an  hour,  the 
dog  is  permitted  to  eat  porridge  and  milk,  which  generally 
causes  a  motion. 

Some  dogs  must  be  allowed  out  of  the  kennel,  or  they 
will  suffer,  owing  to  cleanly  habits,  before  evacuating  the 
bowels.  It  is  the  custom  of  some  to  combine  santonine 
with  areca  nut,  to  which  there  is  no  objection. 


INTERNAL  PARASITES  OR  WORMS.  355 

It  is  likely  that  the  bad  results  that  have  followed  the 
use  of  areca  nut  have  arisen  from  neglect  of  some  of  the 
necessary  precautions  as  to  quantity  and  speedy  purgation 
after  the  dose  is  given. 

Some  puppies  seem  to  be  such  perfect  breeding  mech- 
anisms for  worms,  and  suffer  so  much  from  this  pest,  that 
it  is  almost  hopeless  work  combating  the  evil.  This  con- 
dition is  in  some  cases  hereditary,  and  bitches  that  produce 
such  offspring  should  be  discarded  as  breeders. 

After  the  use  of  worm  remedies,  especially  areca  nut 
or  turpentine,  the  diet  should  be  bland  for  a  couple  of 
days. 

Pumpkin  and  squash  seeds  are  excellent  remedies  and 
quite  harmless,  but  rather  troublesome  to  prepare.  The 
hulled  seeds  should  be  gently  stewed  to  a  pulp,  the  fluid 
poured  off,  and  given  in  teaspoonful  doses.  The  pulp  may 
also  be  given  in  larger  quantity.  It  is  especially  a  good 
way  to  dose  puppies  if  they  will  take  the  preparation  in 
their  food  ;  otherwise  troublesome. 

The  best  remedies  for  tape-worm  are  areca  nut,  oil  of 
male  fern,  and  turpentine. 

The  author  would  try  the  areca  nut  fairly  first.  If  un- 
successful he  would  give  later  ten  to  thirty  drops  of  the 
ethereal  extract  of  male  fern,  shielded  as  recommended  in 
the  case  of  turpentine,  and  in  half  an  hour,  or  earlier  if 
the  dog  seemed  much  prostrated,  a  large  dose  of  castor  oil. 
This  is  severe  treatment,  and  not  justifiable  except  when 
the  areca  nut  fails,  as  it  seldom  does.  The  worms  passed 
should  be  examined  carefully  in  water  to  ascertain  that 
the  head  has  been  removed ;  otherwise  reproduction  of  an 
entire  worm  is  but  a  question  of  time. 


356  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Thread-worms  are  easily  destroyed  by  injecting  into  the 
rectum  salt  and  water,  vinegar  and  water,  an  infusion  of 
quassia,  etc.,  and  retaining  it  there  for  a  few  minutes  by 
holding  the  hand  covered  with  a  cloth  against  the  anus. 

It  is  highly  important,  to  prevent  the  spread  of  worms, 
that  all  the  excreta  after  dosing,  even  when  no  worms 
are  seen,  should  be  collected  and  buried  deep,  or,  better, 
lurned.  When  worms  of  any  kind  are  obtained,  the  treat- 
ment should  be  repeated,  but  not  till  the  dog  has  recovered 
from  the  last  dosing. 

EXTERNAL    PARASITES. 

Parasites  are  the  great  evil  of  canine  existence ;  for  if 
the  dog  is  not  killed  by  internal  forms,  he  is  worried  by  ex- 
ternal ones,  that  may  be  so  numerous  and  such  constant 
companions  day  and  night  that  his  life  is  burdensome.  Is 
it  possible  to  prevent  them  ? 

Lice  are  the  pest  of  puppies  chiefly,  and  are  most 
common  about  the  head  parts.  Reference  has  been  made 
to  them  already. 

Fleas  are  divided  into  the  common  variety  (Pulex  irri- 
tans)  and  the  sand  flea  (Pulex  penetrans).  The  former 
bites,  the  latter  bores,  into  the  skin.  Both  are  believed  to 
undergo  development  not  on  the  dog,  but  in  sand,  rubbish, 
etc. 

The  great  difficulty  practically  is  really  not  killing 
fleas  and  getting  rid  of  those  on  the  dog  at  the  time,  but 
in  keeping  him  free ;  in  fact,  the  former  is  quite  an  easy 
task  comparatively.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  state  that 
there  are  surroundings  amid  which  it  is  impossible  to  keep 
dogs  clear  of  fleas  for  twenty-four  hours ;  so  that,  in  choos- 


EXTERNAL  PARASITES.  357 

ing  the  site  for  a  kennel,  and  in  all  its  arrangements  the 
flea  question  should  be  kept  prominently  in  view.  On  a 
sandy  soil  the  sand-flea  may  prove  extremely  troublesome, 
and  nothing  but  a  conversion  of  the  soil  into  another  sort, 
or  removal  of  the  kennel,  will  suffice. 

The  removal  of  all  rubbish,  manure,  old  straw,  spent 
or  used  sawdust,  and  the  free  use  of  wood  ashes  with  lime 
below,  will  do  much  to  keep  down  the  flea  pest.  Coal 
ashes  and  loam  together  make  a  good,  hard  yard,  which 
can  be  readily  swept  clean.  All  boxes  used  for  sleeping 
places,  and  all  cracks,  should  be  frequently  subjected  to 
treatment  with  some  of  the  agents  that  destroy  these  ver- 
min. This  subject  has  been  dealt  with  in  an  earlier  part 
of  the  work. 

The  agents  and  methods  of  destroying  fleas  are  legion. 
Various  powders,  soaps,  oils,  acids,  etc.,  are  all  efficacious, 
and  the  choice  of  the  one  or  the  other  should  depend  on 
circumstances.  It  is  to  be  remembered  that  insects  breathe 
by  pores,  and  that  if  these  are  filled  up  with  oils,  powders, 
etc.,  they  must  perish. 

If  a  dog  has  but  few  fleas,  the  Persian  or  Dalmatian 
insect  powder  may  be  dusted  through  his  coat  conveniently 
from  a  little  bellows,  while  he  sits  on  papers  to  avoid  loss, 
as  the  cost  of  this  article  is  considerable. 

When  there  are  many  dogs  in  a  kennel  badly  infested 
with  fleas  this  method  will  not  prove  of  itself  successful. 
The  plan  the  author  has  found  most  satisfactory  is  the 
following :  Cover  the  dog  all  over  with  a  mixture  of  equal 
parts  of  cotton-seed  oil  and  crude  coal  oil,  and  in  half  an 
hour  wash  the  animal  thoroughly  with  strong  soap.  In 
some  cases  simply  washing  in  water  to  which  some  crude 


358  THE  DOG  IN   DISEASE. 

carbolic  acid  or  cresol  has  been  added  suffices  to  kill,  or 
nearly  kill,  the  fleas. 

In  all  cases  the  dog  should  be  gone  over  with  a  fine 
comb  and  the  vermin  taken  off  and  burned,  for  they  have 
a  way  of  reviving  after  washing  that  is  astonishing. 

Another  plan  that  gives  excellent  results  is  to  get  the 
dog  to  stand  over  some  clean  boards,  so  that  any  fleas  fall- 
ing may  be  seen  and  trodden  on ;  and  with  a  shallow,  flat 
dish  containing  coal  oil  at  hand,  pass  a  fine  comb  dipped 
in  this  fluid  through  the  hair  and  rapidly  rub  off  the  fleas 
as  caught  into  the  shallow  dish  of  oil. 

But  in  any  case,  under  certain  unfavorable  conditions, 
keeping  dogs  even  moderately  free  from  fleas  is  no  light 
labor,  and  nothing  but  watchfulness  and  work  will  accom- 
plish it. 

The  constant  worry  from  fleas  or  lice  may  seriously 
derange  a  dog's  health,  or  with  the  scratching  produce  ec- 
zema. 

Lice  can  be  easily  destroyed  by  treating  as  for  fleas, 
as  recommended  above,  especially  by  the  first  method,  but 
the  comb  will  also  be  necessary,  and  in  puppies  with  long 
ears  freedom  is  secured  only  at  the  price  of  ceaseless 
vigilance. 

"Washing  young  puppies  is  to  be  avoided  as  a  rule. 
Washing  the  head  after  treatment  with  oil,  etc.,  will  often 
suffice.  However,  with  special  care,  washing  is  not  the 
bane  to  puppies  some  would  have  us  suppose.  Of  two 
evils,  washing  and  lice,  the  former  is  much  to  be  pre- 
ferred. In  the  author's  own  kennel  no  unfavorable  re- 
sults have  ever  followed  washing  puppies  with  the  precau- 
tions as  to  rapidly  rinsing,  drying,  etc.,  he  employs. 


CONSTITUTIONAL  DISEASES.  359 

CONSTITUTIONAL  DISEASES. 

Certain  disorders  affect  some  portions  of  the  body 
specifically,  yet  produce  symptoms  which  are  not  referable 
to  that  region  alone,  but  affect  to  a  serious  extent  the 
whole  economy,  and  hence  are  spoken  of  as  constitutional. 
It  must  be  admitted,  however,  that  it  is  not  easy  to  deter- 
mine always  how  best  to  classify  certain  diseases ;  but  the 
main  thing  is  to  grasp  the  condition  of  affairs  by  whatever 
name  called. 

Erysipelas. — Some  would  class  this  disease  as  an  inflam- 
mation of  the  skin,  and  treat  it  under  the  head  of  "  skin 
diseases."  The  constitutional  symptoms  are  so  pro- 
nounced we  prefer  to  consider  it  a  constitutional  disease. 

Erysipelas  is  an  inflammation  of  the  skin,  with  a 
strong  tendency  to  spread,  to  attack  the  tissues  beneath, 
to  end  in  abscess  or  sloughing  of  parts,  and  attended  by 
fever  and  prostration.  It  may  attack  the  unbroken  skin, 
but  is  particularly  liable  to  occur  around  wounds,  especial- 
ly if  patients  with  the  disease  are  near.  It  is  contagious 
and  infectious,  associated  with  and  probably  caused  by  a 
microbe,  though  certain  constitutions  are  much  more  pre- 
disposed to  it  than  others. 

Symptoms. — Locally,  heat,  pain,  redness,  swelling,  a 
peculiar  tense,  hard  feel,  with  a  dark  tinge  in  the  redness 
in  some  of  the  worst  cases.  Constitutionally,  chill,  nausea, 
fever,  loss  of  appetite,  prostration  in  bad  cases,  etc. 

Treatment. — This  must  be  both  local  and  constitu- 
tional. 

As  to  the  local  applications,  practice  differs  much. 
Some  paint  with  tincture  of  iron,  or  tincture  of  iodine ; 


360  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

others  use  soothing  lotions.  Painting  vigorously  around 
but  not  on  the  seat  of  inflammation  with  tincture  of 
iodine,  with  the  application  of  the  lead-and-opium  lotion 
to  the  actually  inflamed  part,  are  the  measures  we  are  in- 
clined to  recommend. 

All  agree  that  constitutional  treatment  is  essential. 
The  bowels  should  be  relaxed  with  salines.  This  is  of 
great  importance. 

The  food  should  be  bland  at  first ;  later,  highly  concen- 
trated but  easily  digestible. 

If  there  be  much  prostration,  alcoholic  stimulants  are 
absolutely  necessary,  in  small  repeated  doses. 

The  following  has  been  found  as  useful  as  any  internal 
medication : 

1J  Tinct.  f erri  perchlor 3  v ; 

Potass,  chlorat 3  v ; 

Glycerin |  ij  ; 

Aquse ad   §  vii j. 

Ft.  mist. 

Sig. :  Dessertspoonful  every  two  to  three  hours. 

After  the  acute  stage,  quinine  and  iron,  or  the  citrate 
of  iron  and  quinine,  with  perhaps  cod-liver  oil,  may  be 
needed. 

The  above  remedy  may  be  given  in  capsules  when  the 
dog  is  fractious,  ten  drops  of  the  tincture  of  iron  dropped 
on  ten  grains  of  powdered  chlorate  of  potassium,  allowing 
water  or  a  little  milk  just  after  to  dilute  the  medicine  in 
the  stomach. 

The  animal  had  better  be  isolated  from  others,  and 
every  attention  paid  to  the  surroundings,  as  the  disease  is 
a  grave  one. 


CONSTITUTIONAL  DISEASES.  361 

Diphtheria. — Fortunately,  this  fatal  malady  is  very  rare 
in  the  dog.  It  may  possibly  be  communicated  to  him 
from  the  cat,  from  man,  or  the  reverse.  Its  cause  in  the 
dog,  as  it  certainly  is  in  man,  is  probably  a  specific  germ ; 
and  certain  conditions — as  bad  drainage,  poor  ventilation, 
debility,  etc. — fa^r  its  spread.  It  usually  attacks  the 
throat  (pharynx,  larynx)  or  nose,  and  may  extend  from 
the  one  to  the  other,  or  downward  into  the  windpipe. 
When  fatal,  it  usually  kills  by  exhaustion  or  suffoca- 
tion in  the  acute  stage,  or  later  by  paralysis,  especially 
of  the  heart. 

Symptoms. — Chill,  fever  which  is  not  always  marked, 
loss  of  appetite,  debility,  and  symptoms  referable  to  the 
parts  affected,  as  difficulty  in  swallowing,  possibly  (if  the 
larynx  is  attacked)  great  difficulty  in  breathing,  etc. 

Treatment. — The  prognosis  is  grave,  and  treatment 
should  be  prompt,  almost  continuous,  and  both  local  and 
constitutional.  The  dog  must  be  isolated ;  the  air  of  his 
apartment  had  better  be  moist,  and  the  ventilation  perfect. 

Sprays  and  lotions  to  the  parts  affected  are  called  for, 
but  should  never  be  of  a  character  to  injure  the  mucous 
membranes. 

Lime-water,  lactic  acid,  carbolic  acid,  sulphurous  acid, 
and  peroxide  of  hydrogen  are  among  the  remedies  most 
used. 

The  food  should  be  easily  digested  but  nutritious  from 
the  first.  The  constitutional  treatment,  in  fact,  may  be 
very  much  as  in  erysipelas,  but  the  medicine  should  be 
given  in  liquid  form  to  get  its  local  effect. 

If  suffocation  is  threatened,  tracheotomy  should  be  per- 
formed. 


362  -THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Paresis  or  paralysis  is  apt  to  follow.  Should  it  occur, 
reliance  is  to  be  placed  on  massage,  nux  vomica,  strych- 
nine, etc. 

Exercise  should  be  only  gradually  and  cautiously  al- 
lowed. 

Dropsy. — Dropsy  is  a  term  usually  applied  to  a  con- 
dition associated  with  fluid  in  the  abdomen.  It  is  a  symp- 
tom, and  not  a  pathological  condition,  but  is  worthy  of 
special  reference. 

It  is  due  to  some  cause  that  gives  rise  to  a  very  im- 
poverished condition  of  the  blood,  or,  as  is  more  com- 
mon, to  pressure  on  or  distention  of  the  veins.  The  con- 
dition may  be  present  in  the  thorax  (hydrothorax),  in  the 
abdomen  (ascites),  or  in  the  cranial  cavity  (hydrocephalus). 
Ascites  is  the  more  common,  and  is  due  to  heart  disease 
sometimes,  but  more  frequently  to  some  organic  (struct- 
ural) disease  of  the  liver. 

Symptoms. — These  are  made  up  of  those  due  to  the 
presence  of  the  fluid  and  of  those  that  are  associated  with 
the  cause  of  the  dropsy.  There  is  usually  debility,  feeble 
pulse,  loss  of  appetite,  weak  digestion,  and  probably  diffi- 
cult respiration  or  hurried  breathing,  etc. 

Diagnosis. — This  lies  in  the  bitch  between  pregnancy 
and  the  disease  in  question.  The  pregnant  animal  is  not 
sick  or  emaciated,  the  abdomen  has  not  the  even,  tense 
feel  of  the  dropsical  subject,  however  many  whelps  may  be 
within ;  besides,  the  mammary  glands  are  usually  enlarged. 
If  there  be  a  history  of  illness,  the  probability  is  that 
dropsy  is  the  cause  of  the  distended  abdomen ;  but  the 
matter  may  be  settled  by  percussion.  Dullness  is  always 
present,  while  a  gentle  tap  at  one  part,  as  the  animal  lies 


CONSTITUTIONAL  DISEASES.  363 

.on  its  side,  will  cause  the  perception  by  the  hand  held  at 
a  point  opposite  to  this  of  a  sort  of  wave  or  thrill,  which 
will  render  the  diagnosis  certain. 

Treatment. — The  disease  is  often  fatal,  but  the  indica- 
tions are  to  cause  the  absorption  of  the  fluid  and  to  im- 
prove the  general  health. 

Unless  the  patient  is  very  debilitated,  purgation  by 
calomel  and  jalap  or  elaterium  may  be  tried. 

Next,  the  use  of  iodide  of  potassium,  or  syrup  of  the 
iodide  of  iron,  is  indicated.  Large  doses  of  tincture  of 
iron  are  also  recommended.  Digitalis  is  advocated  by 
some. 

Should  the  fluid  not  disappear  within  two  weeks,  tap- 
ping for  its  removal,  which  should  be  very  gradual,  may 
be  tried.  Similar  treatment  is  to  be  adopted  in  hydrotho- 
rax.  Treatment  for  hydrocephalus  is  generally  unavailing. 

Rickets. — Though  the  most  obvious  changes  are  in  the 
bones,  the  disease  is  essentially  constitutional. 

The  bones  undergo  a  series  of  changes,  which  result 
in  their  becoming  enlarged  at  the  ends,  less  resistant,  and 
consequently  more  apt  to  bend,  so  that  deformities  are 
common. 

Of  the  bones,  those  of  the  limbs  and  head  suffer 
oftenest.  Along  with  this  condition  of  the  osseous  sys- 
tem, the  whole  nutrition  of  the  animal  is  at  fault.  Its  ap- 
pearance of  general  lack  of  vigor  and  unthriftiness,  sug- 
gests that  the  best  thing  to  do  with  the  animal  is  to  chlo- 
roform it ;  and  so  it  is,  in  many  cases. 

Heredity  has  not  been  established  as  a  cause — i.  e.,  the 
condition  has  not  come  to  the  animal  from  a  rickety 

(rachitic)  dam  or  sire,  or  one  of  an  otherwise  unhealthy 
25 


364:  THE  DOG   IN  DISEASE. 

constitution,  though  possibly  bad  management  of  the  dam 
when  in  whelp  or  during  nursing,  very  many  bitches  not 


FIG.  37.— RACHITIC  DOG  (HILL). 

being  sufficiently  fed  at  these  periods,  may  give  rise  to 
rickets  in  the  young.  Unhygienic  surroundings,  as  damp, 
dark,  ill-ventilated  kennels,  food  insufficient  as  to  quantity 
or  quality,  etc.,  are  undoubted  causes. 

Rickets  has  been  experimentally  produced  in  nursing 
puppies  by  removing  them  from  the  darn  and  giving 
them  food  they  could  not  digest  properly. 

Treatment. — Everything  possible  should  be  done  to 
improve  the  general  health — sunlight,  dry,  warm,  well- 
ventilated  kennels,  and  gentle  exercise  being  essential. 
Lime-water,  phosphate,  bone-dust,  cod-liver  oil,  iron  ton- 
ics, etc.,  are  all  indicated.  Grooming  and  massage  are  not 
to  be  forgotten.  A  diet  varied  and  adequate  is  essential. 

The  puppies  of  large  breeds  of  dogs  often  grow  so  fast 
that  the  weight  of  the  body  is  too  great  for  the  limbs 


CONSTITUTIONAL  DISEASES.  365 

with  their  soft  bones  to  bear ;  hence  bending  of  the  bones, 
relaxation  of  the  ligaments,  etc. 

The  craze  for  canine  giants,  and  the  habit  of  stuffing 
puppies  to  get  size,  at  the  expense  of  everything  else,  are 
to  be  condemned. 

All  puppies,  whether  of  large  or  small  breeds,  should 
be  regularly  exercised  after  three  to  four  months  of  age, 
by  being  taken  into  the  fields  or  woods  and  kept  in  a 
condition  that  enables  them  to  form  bone  and  muscle,  but 
should  not  carry,  either  now  or  at  any  period,  a  "  mountain 
of  flesh."  Forced  feeding,  and  neglect  of  exercise,  etc., 
leads  naturally  to  loss  of  stamina  and  the  shortening 
of  life. 

When  a  puppy  has  this  tendency  to  curvature  of  the 
bones,  weakness  of  the  joints,  etc., — a  condition  akin  to 
rickets — good  feeding  and  good  management  generally 
will  suffice  for  an  arrest  of  the  evil,  though  treatment 
similar  to  that  recommended  for  rickets  will  also  be 
helpful. 

Rheumatism. — Acute  rheumatism  may  be  regarded  as 
an  inflammation  mostly  of  the  joints,  especially  of  the 
ligaments  and  related  structures. 

The  cause  has  not  been  definitely  ascertained,  and, 
though  cold,  damp,  etc.,  predispose,  it  is  believed  that  the 
exciting  cause  is  some  poison  produced  within  the  body, 
possibly  lactic  acid. 

Symptoms. — There  are  swelling  and  pain  of  the  joints, 
difficulty  in  locomotion,  anxiety  lest  the  affected  parts  be 
moved  and  pain  produced,  elevation  of  temperature,  dis- 
turbance of  the  digestion,  etc.  The  disease  is  apt  to  shift 
from  joint  to  joint. 


366  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

The  subacute  and  chronic  forms  are  more  common  in 
the  dog. 

Diagnosis. — The  diagnosis  lies  between  sprains  and 
other  injuries,  colic,  etc.  In  the  acute  form,  when  there 
is  decided  swelling  without  the  history  of  any  injury, 
when  the  temperature  is  a  good  deal  elevated  and  the  di- 
gestion deranged,  the  diagnosis  is  not  difficult. 

In  any  form  of  the  disease  the  joints,  if  not  tender  to 
the  touch,  are  so  when  moved,  which  often  assists  in  a 
diagnosis. 

The  movements,  attitude,  etc.,  of  a  rheumatic  dog  are 
often  characteristic. 

In  the  subacute  and  chronic  forms  the  health  is  not 
always  greatly  impaired. 

Muscular  rheumatism  differs  from  that  just  described 
in  not  affecting  joints,  though  in  lumbago  the  ligaments 
as  well  as  muscles  of  the  loins  are  probably  involved. 
The  muscles  are  sore,  stiff,  and  tender,  if  not  positively 
painful. 

Chest  founder,  or  kennel  lameness,  affects  more  espe- 
cially the  muscles  of  the  shoulders,  chest,  and  fore-legs. 

This  form  of  rheumatism  can  generally  be  traced  to 
damp,  draughts,  cold,  etc. 

Treatment. — In  the  acute  form,  alkalies  and  colchicum 
in  frequent  and  rather  large  (ten  to  twenty  grains)  doses 
are  still  preferred  by  some ;  but  with  the  majority  sali- 
cylate  of  sodium  is  the  favorite  remedy.  It  is  best  given 
in  gelatin  capsules,  every  two  or  three  hours,  till  pain, 
etc.,  is  relieved ;  afterward  in  smaller  doses  at  longer 
intervals.  Some  incline  to  phenacetin. 

The  animal  should  be  made  very  comfortable,  and,  if 


CONSTITUTIONAL  DISEASES.  367 

pain  be  excessive,  a  dose  of  Dover's  powder  may  be 
given — unnecessary,  however,  if  phenacetin  be  used.  The 
bowels  should  be  free,  and  the  food  bland  and  readily 
digestible.  It  may  be  well  to  wrap  up  the  joints  in  cotton- 
wool. During  convalescence,  tonics,  etc.,  may  be  needed. 

In  the  subacute  form  the  alkaline  treatment  may  prove 
more  successful. 

In  the  chronic  form,  commoner  in  old  dogs  and  in  ani- 
mals that  go  much  into  water,  the  treatment  must  be  dif- 
ferent. Counter-irritation  will  generally  prove  helpful, 
using  tincture  of  iodine,  St.  George's  paint,  the  iodine 
ointment,  or  red-oxide-of -mercury  ointment  in  the  pro- 
portion of,  say,  one  to  twelve  of  lard  or  vaseline,  watching 
the  effect  so  that  actual  blistering  may  not  occur.  Some- 
times sedative  liniments  or  ointments  will  answer  a  better 
purpose,  such  as  the  belladonna  liniment,  the  chloroform 
liniment,  or  equivalent  ointments.  Dogs  will  not  usually 
lick  off  these  liniments,  though  they -may  the  ointments. 
They  are,  moreover,  often  useful  in  all  the  other  forms  of 
rheumatism,  including  the  muscular. 

Internally,  iodide  of  potassium,  syrup  of  the  iodide  of 
iron,  tincture  of  iron,  etc.,  are  of  great  value.  At  times 
a  rheumatic  affection,  especially  the  chronic  form,  is  very 
intractable,  and  renders  the  dog's  life  wretched. 

Muscular  rheumatism  may  be  treated  with  hot  fomen- 
tations, medicated  with  opiates  (poppy-heads)  or  bella- 
donna at  first ;  later  by  counter-irritation  in  mild  form. 
Little  constitutional  treatment  is  usually  called  for. 

Distemper. — Distemper  is  an  acute  contagious  disease 
that  tends  to  run  a  definite  course.  It  has  been  compared 
to  typhoid  and  to  typhus  fever  in  man,  and  distemper  or 


368  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

strangles  in  the  horse.  It  is  more  like  typhus  than  any  of 
them,  but  the  comparison  is  neither  exact  nor  fruitful. 

The  disease  is  more  apt  to  attack  dogs  under  a  year 
old,  and  pure-bred  dogs,  rather  than  others. 

It  is  more  fatal  in  the  former,  and  especially  in  highly 
inbred  animals,  which  is  owing  to  their  less  stable  nervous 
system  and  less  resisting  constitution  generally. 

As  no  specific  is  known  for  the  disease,  it  remains  the 
gravest  acute  malady  that  attacks  the  dog,  and  between 
the  ravages  of  distemper  and  parasites  a  large  proportion 
of  pure-bred  puppies  are  annually  carried  off ;  it  therefore 
becomes  important  in  the  highest  degree  that  the  true  na- 
ture of  the  disease  and  its  prevention  be  well  understood. 

Causation. — Recent  investigations  and  experiments, 
which  it  is  hoped  will  be  continued  in  different  quarters, 
make  it  reasonably  certain  that  a  germ,  possibly  several 
germs,  or,  more  likely,  different  forms  of  the  one  germ, 
are  associated  with  distemper  and  constitute  the  essential 
cause  of  the  disease. 

Certain  it  is  that  there  is  a  virus  of  some  kind,  that 
can  be  communicated  from  one  animal  to  another,  and 
which  has  great  vitality — i.  e.,  can  long  exist  outside  of 
the  body  without  destruction,  and  communicate  the  disease 
when  brought  in  contact  with  susceptible  individuals.  In 
this  as  in  all  similar  diseases  there  are  predisposing  causes. 
Dogs  do  not  equally  at  all  ages  and  under  all  circum- 
stances take  distemper.  We  may  say,  then,  that  age,  en- 
vironment, condition  of  the  constitution  at  the  time  of 
exposure,  individuality,  etc.,  are  all  important. 

All  dogs  do  not  take  distemper  when  exposed,  and,  as 
a  rule,  the  older  the  dog  the  greater  his  chance  of  escape. 


CONSTITUTIONAL  DISEASES.  369 

Some  dogs  possess  immunity  from  this  malady,  and  rarely 
does  the  subject  have  the  disease  a  second  time. 

It  is  possible,  perhaps,  that  distemper  can  be  conveyed 
through  the  air,  but  it  is  usually  by  contact  with  either  an 
affected  animal  or  with  the  poison  (virus),  which  may  be 
adherent  to  some  inanimate  body  or  the  body  of  some  dog 
that  is  not  himself  perhaps  susceptible. 

Anything  that  tends  to  lessen  an  animal's  resisting 
power,  as  a  sudden  alteration  in  the  environment,  like  a 
change  of  weather  or  of  feeding,  exposure  to  wet  and 
cold,  exhaustion,  a  long  journey,  the  exciting  and  un- 
natural conditions  of  shows  generally  (see  page  393),  with 
the  crowding  together  of  large  numbers  of  dogs  that 
have  lived  under  different  conditions,  etc. — all  such  favor 
the  spread  of  the  disease. 

Prophylaxis,  or  prevention. — Much  more  can  be  done 
to  ward  off  distemper  than  to  cure  it,  and  a  consideration 
of  the  predisposing  causes  will  suggest  means  of  pre- 
vention. 

It  will  be  noticed  that  distemper  is  most  rife  in  Amer- 
ica during  and  after  the  fall  shows  in  September  and  Oc- 
tober. At  this  period  many  puppies  are  getting  their  sec- 
ond teeth,  their  constitutions  are  still  very  immature,  and 
the  nervous  system — the  great  regulator  of  all  vital  pro- 
cesses— very  unstable.  It  can  not  be  doubted  that  shows 
favor  the  production  of  distemper,  and  must  do  so  even 
when  all  precautions  are  taken ;  for  the  germs  of  the  dis- 
ease are  so  widely  spread,  that  it  would  seem  that  all  that 
is  required  for  its  propagation  is  a  young  animal  with  a 
somewhat  temporarily  lowered  vitality. 

Hence  it  follows  that  puppies  should  be  kept  at  home, 


370  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

not  sent  to  shows  at  all.  Again,  no  dogs  should  be  ad- 
mitted from  kennels  in  which  distemper  has  existed  so 
late  as  one  month  previous.  Every  exhibitor  should  be 
required  to  sign  a  paper  to  this  effect,  and  that  the  whole 
kennel  had  been  thoroughly  disinfected  and  the  dogs  well 
washed  after  the  disease  had  disappeared,  and  also  before 
the  show.  All  dogs  should  be  washed  two  to  three  days 
before  a  show,  and  this  should  be  repeated  after  each 
show.  It  can  be  so  managed  that  neither  their  coats  nor 
their  health  will  suffer  (see  page  122). 

Certainly  it  is  unwise  to  allow  any  dog  that  has  been 
away  on  a  journey,  or  has  mingled  with  a  multitude  of 
dogs,  to  return  to  his  kennel  without  these  precautions. 

If  puppies  are  sent  to  shows,  the  greatest  care  in  all 
respects  should  be  taken  of  them  (see  page  394). 

It  will  be  noticed  that  distemper  is  apt  to  break  out  in 
kennels  during  wet  and  cold  or  during  muggy  weather. 
When  the  animals  are  much  confined  the  conditions  are 
most  favorable  for  the  germs,  or,  at  all  events,  least  favor- 
able for  the  dog ;  hence  the  need  of  all  precautions  as  to 
fresh  air,  cleanliness,  etc.  The  digestive  tract  must  be 
especially  closely  watched  then.  When  dogs  can  not  be 
exercised  on  account  of  the  weather,  an  extra  amount  of 
grooming  and  massage,  with  less  food  and  of  a  lighter 
kind,  will  prevent  many  kennel  troubles. 

It  appears,  then,  that  one  of  the  seasons  of  the  year 
at  which  dogs  are  most  liable  to  take  distemper  also  co- 
incides with  one  of  the  show  periods  in  America ;  so  that 
there  is,  so  far  as  many  of  the  most  valuable  dogs  are 
concerned,  a  double  reason  for  the  prevalence  of  distemper 
at  that  time. 


CONSTITUTIONAL  DISEASES. 

Symptoms. — Distemper  shows  so  great  a  variety  of 
symptoms  that  it  will  be  judicious  to  give  nearly  all  pos- 
sible ones  as  they  affect  each  system  of  organs  of  the 
body.  It  will  not  be  feasible  to  enumerate  all  the  com- 
binations that  occur,  as  these  are  simply  endless. 

Dullness,  loss  of  appetite,  vomiting,  constipation  usu- 
ually  at  first,  possibly  diarrhoea ;  elevated  temperature, 
thirst,  rapid  pulse ;  dry,  hot  nose,  sneezing,  chills,  harsh 
or  husky  cough ;  soon  a  thin,  irritating  discharge  from 
the  eyes  and  nose ;  redness  of  the  eyes  (conjunctiva) ; 
later,  a  muco-purulent  discharge  from  nose  and  eyes,  and 
looser  cough  ;  there  may  be  twitchings,  or  fits  of  various 
kinds  ;  symptoms  of  meningitis,  paralysis,  emaciation — all 
of  which  show  the  effect  of  the  poison  on  the  nervous 
system. 

The  period  of  latency,  or  incubation,  is  from  about 
four  to  sixteen  days,  during  which  the  dog  may  seem  to 
be  nearly  as  well  as  usual,  or  rather  dull. 

Diagnosis. — When  the  nervous  system  is  much  affected 
the  discrimination  is  between  meningitis,  fits  from  worms, 
teething,  etc.  But  usually  in  distemper  there  is  so  much 
loss  of  flesh,  prostration,  etc.,  that  the  diagnosis  is  not 
difficult. 

Whenever  a  dog  rapidly  loses  flesh  and  falls  off  in  his 
appetite,  is  dull,  etc.,  especially  if  distemper  is  prevalent, 
this  disease  should  be  suspected  and  the  animal  isolated  for 
further  observation. 

The  harsh  cough  is  rather  characteristic.  Those  affec- 
tions of  the  eyes  associated  with  indigestion  are  not  ac- 
companied by  fever.  The  thermometer  is  invaluable. 

At  times  the  attack  is  so  sudden  and  so  prostrating 


372  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

that  the  dog  never  rallies,  and  these  resemble  the  worst 
cases  of  typhus  fever  in  man. 

The  blood  in  some  cases  undergoes  a  rapid  and  fatal 
degeneration ;  in  others  the  nervous  system  is  completely 
overpowered.  Such  cases  must  soon  end  fatally.  "We  do 
not  think  divisions  of  such  a  disease  into  varieties  is  wise 
for  the  inexperienced,  as  it  is  seldom  that  typical  cases  of 
each  are  found,  and  the  observer  is  led  to  look  for  what 
does  not  exist  in  nature ;  hence  we  do  not  say  that  there 
are  two  varieties  or  types  of  distemper,  the  nervous  and 
gastric  or  catarrhal. 

The  disease  might  with  some  propriety  be  termed  a 
catarrhal  fever,  but  even  that  term  expresses  only  a  part  of 
the  truth. 

Prognosis. — Except  in  the  very  severe  cases  (lightning 
cases)  just  referred  to,  and  when  the  nervous  system  is 
much  affected,  leading  to  fits,  paralysis,  extreme  emaciation, 
etc.,  the  prognosis  as  regards  survival  of  the  immediate 
action  of  the  poison  is  good,  provided  complications  do 
not  arise.  Most  of  the  deaths  from  distemper  are  due  to 
these.  With  marked  emaciation  and  total  refusal  of  food 
the  prognosis  is  always  very  grave. 

Complications. — Extensive  or  capillary  bronchitis,  es- 
pecially in  young  puppies,  pneumonia,  either  lobar  or 
lobular,  are  not  uncommon,  and  often  end  fatally. 

Diarrhoea  with  blood  or  bile  in  excess  is  also  another 
frequently  fatal  complication ;  while  jaundice  is  generally 
an  indication  that  death  is  not  far  off,  as  the  retained  bile 
soon  poisons  the  whole  system  and  disorganizes  the  blood. 

Paralysis  and  chorea  may  occur  early  or  more  fre- 
quently after  all  the  acute  symptons  have  subsided.  They 


CONSTITUTIONAL  DISEASES.  3^3 

are  due  to  the  effects  of  the  poison  on  the  nervous  system. 
When  both  occur  together,  or  the  paralysis  is  marked  or 
progressive,  the  prognosis  is  very  bad. 

There  may  be  both  paralysis  and  chorea  wither,  t  r,ny 
visible  structural  changes  in  the  spinal  cord  or  brain. 

Ulcers  of  the  cornea,  inflammation  of  the  cornea  or  the 
iris  (rare),  are  apt  to  result  if  the  eye  symptoms  are  severe 
or  neglected. 

Skin  eruptions,  mostly  of  an  eczematous  character,  very 
frequently  follow,  and  especially  about  the  head.  They 
are  not  readily  cured — sometimes  almost  beyond  treatment. 

Yery  often  it  will  be  kindness,  after  an  attack  of  dis- 
temper when  complications  of  a  chronic  character  have 
arisen  that  render  the  dog  wretched,  to  chloroform  him  to 
death. 

Not  a  few  dogs  are  left  with  digestive  powers  so  weak- 
ened that  they  are  always  liable  to  get  out  of  condition. 

However,  it  is  the  aim  of  the  medical  expert  to  try 
to  save,  and  only  to  recommend  a  painless  death  when 
the  case  is  obviously  hopeless  or  the  subject  very  miser- 
able, and  after  trial  of  remedies  has  been  made  and  a 
chance  left  for  the  vis  medicatrix  naturae  (nature's  healing 
power)  to  assert  itself. 

It  is  not  always  easy  to  detect  such  complications  as 
capillary  bronchitis,  lobular  pneumonia,  or  even  the  lobar 
form  of  the  disease  at  the  outset.  The  temperature  may 
be  but  little  elevated.  A  chill  should  arouse  suspicion,  or 
any  increase  in  the  rate  of  the  breathing. 

The  physical  signs  are  often  ill-marked.  The  author 
recommends  that  every  patient  be  subjected  at  the  outset 
of  the  disease  to  a  very  careful  physical  examination,  espe- 


374  THB  £>°G  IN  DISEASE. 

ciallj  as  regards  percussion  and  auscultation  of  the  chest, 
so  that  any  departures  from  the  existing  state  may  be  the 
more  readily  appreciated,  for  much  depends  on  an  early 
diagnosis  of  a  complication  and  its  prompt  treatment. 

Treatment. — Two  extreme  positions  have  been  taken 
in  regard  to  this  disease — the  one  that  there  is  some  spe- 
cific or  means  to  cut  it  short,  the  other  that  all  remedies, 
or  at  least  all  medication,  is  utterly  useless. 

It  is  true  that  distemper  can  not  be  aborted,  but  it  is 
equally  true  that  the  patient  may  be  put  under  conditions 
that  favor  his  avoiding  the  rocks  and  quicksands  and 
reaching  a  harbor  of  safety. 

The  sooner  the  notion  that  there  is  any  specific  for  dis- 
temper known  at  present  is  abandoned,  the  better.  The 
treatment  of  this  disease  may  be  resolved  into  providing 
an  environment  most  favorable  to  healthy  life  generally, 
and  the  avoidance  of  complications ;  in  other  words,  pro- 
viding as  good  hygienic  surroundings  as  possible,  with 
suitable  food,  and  meeting  special  conditions  as  they  arise. 

All  who  have  written  intelligently  on  distemper  are 
agreed  on  certain  points,  such  as  that  there  is  no  specific 
for  the  disease  ;  that  careful  nursing  and  feeding  are  of  the 
highest  importance ;  that  strong  purgatives  are  to  be 
avoided ;  and  that  exercise  is  injurious. 

The  dog  should,  of  course,  be  isolated  from  all  com- 
panions, if  possible  in  a  separate  building ;  he  should  be 
rendered  comfortable,  and  especially  guarded  against  cold. 
In  many  cases  a  blanket  or  chest-jacket  will  be  useful, 
perhaps  always  in  winter.  This  is  of  vital  importance,  as 
all  sorts  of  chills  are  apt  to  aggravate  symptoms  and  set 
up  complications. 


CONSTITUTIONAL  DISEASES. 

As  there  is  a  pronounced  tendency  to  wasting,  noth- 
ing can  be  of  greater  importance  than  that  every  means 
shall  be  employed  to  feed  to  maintain  the  strength.  Good 
feeding  is  half  the  battle,  certainly  in  this  disease.  The 
author  can  not  give  any  better  advice  than  to  feed  much 
as  in  the  case  of  a  human  being  with  a  very  capricious 
appetite. 

At  the  outset,  if  there  is  a  troublesome  cough  and  ten- 
dency to  retching,  an  emetic  of  fifteen  to  twenty  grains  of 
sulphate  of  zinc  with  a  teaspoonful  of  wine  of  ipecac,  for 
an  ordinary-sized  puppy  of  six  months  or  over,  may  do 
good.  The  bowels  had  better  be  unloaded,  and  sulphur  is 
about  the  best  remedy,  or  sulphur  and  cream  of  tartar ; 
castor  oil  or  syrup  of  buckthorn  will  do ;  but  no  strong 
medicine  should  be  given  to  open  the  bowels. 

As  the  fever  may  be  decided  for  a  few  days  (103°  to 
106°  Fahr.),  the  importance  of  plenty  of  fresh  air  and  a 
nutritious  but  unstimulating  diet  can  be  appreciated. 

However,  if  a  dog  will  not  take  milk,  milk  and  eggs, 
rice  and  milk,  rice  pudding,  bread  and  milk,  or  such  like, 
he  may  have  a  little  beef  or  mutton  cut  fine  or  grated. 
This  may  act  as  a  tonic  to  his  disordered  digestive  organs, 
and  do  more  for  him  than  any  medicine;  but  the  first 
stage  is  not  the  time  for  feeding  on  meat  largely. 

Those  who  believe  in  antipyretics  will  give  them  at 
this  stage.  For  our  own  part  we  would  not,  as  a  rule,  but 
would  save  the  stomach  of  the  dog  as  much  as  possible, 
lest  it  give  out  and  pave  the  way  for  a  fatal  issue. 

One  or  two  large  doses  of  quinine,  which  we  always 
combine  with  bromide  of  potassium,  as  it  renders  it  much 
less  exciting  to  the  dog,  may  do  good — e.  g.,  five  to  eight 


376  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

grains  of  quinine  with  fifteen  to  twenty  grains  of  the 
bromide.  Many  like  to  give  a  fever  mixture,  such  as  the 
following : 

^  Tinct.  aconit.  rad 3  jss. ; 

Spt.  eth.  nit §  i j  ; 

Ammon.  mur 3  jss. ; 

Pot.  chlorat 3  iij ; 

Syrup,  aurant §  j ; 

Aquae ad  §  iv. 

Ft.  mist. 

Sig. :  Teaspoonf ul  every  two  hours,  till  the  pulse  is 
slowed  and  the  temperature  lowered. 

Some  recommend  dissolving  chlorate  of  potassium  in 
the  dog's  drinking-water.  We  do  not  indorse  this  plan, 
as  we  think  a  drink  of  good,  cold,  pure  water  has  a  valu- 
able tonic  effect  itself. 

The  value  of  bromide  of  potassium,  in  the  earlier  stages 
of  the  disease,  in  quieting  the  animal,  favoring  sleep,  etc., 
has  not,  we  think,  been  fully  appreciated.  Phenacetin  is 
soothing  and  antipyretic  and  might  replace  quinine. 

So  far  as  giving  medicine  is  concerned,  the  author  is 
guided  very  much  by  the  state  of  the  dog's  digestion  and 
his  general  condition.  If  there  is  much  prostration,  a 
feeble  pulse,  distaste  for  food,  etc.,  the  above-mentioned 
remedies  seem  to  him  to  be  contra-indicated,  while  small 
doses  of  quinine  and  carbonate  of  ammonium,  or  perhaps 
alcoholic  stimulants,  with  liquid  food,  will  serve  a  good 
purpose. 

Alcoholic  stimulants  are  injurious  in  the  early  stage, 
as  a  rule.  Aconite  must  be  watched  in  any  case,  on 
account  of  its  depressing  action  on  the  heart.  When 


THE  PUG  CHAMPION  LORIS. 
(K.  C.  S.  B.,  17,567.) 

For  description,  see  page  90. 


CONSTITUTIONAL  DISEASES.  377 

the  pulse  is  rapid  and  full,  it  is  often  a  most  valuable 
remedy,  but  again  at  times  it  seems  to  fail  utterly  to  re- 
duce the  heart's  action,  or  it  proves  too  depressing.  If  it 
does  not  meet  expectations  after  half  a  dozen  doses,  it  had 
better  be  discontinued.  Hyposulphite  of  sodium  is  highly 
valued  by  some  experts. 

Our  own  plan  of  medication  is  sometimes  after  this 
fashion,  though  our  belief  in  its  efficacy  is  not  very  strong. 

After  one  to  two  large  doses  of  quinine  and  bromide 
of  potassium,  we  inclose  in  gelatin  capsules  No.  00  chlo- 
rate of  potassium,  bromide  of  potassium,  and  three  to  five 
grains  of  hyposulphite  of  sodium,  all  powdered  fine,  and 
some  quinine  (one  to  two  grains) ;  in  this  put  three  to  five 
drops  of  tincture  of  aconite  (if  Fleming's,  only  one  half 
to  one  drop) ;  give  this  to  the  patient,  and  then  offer  him  a 
drink  of  water,  and,  if  he  will  not  take  this,  a  little  milk. 
By  this  method  we  know  that  the  dog  gets  every  particle 
of  his  medicine,  which  is  always  an  uncertainty  when 
given  in  liquid  form,  not  to  mention  the  worry  arising 
from  the  unpleasant  taste,  etc. 

However,  such  treatment  must  not  be  routine,  or  con- 
tinued regardless  of  symptoms  or  for  an  indefinite  time,  as 
we  have  already  endeavored  to  point  out. 

When  the  dog  has  passed  the  acute  or  febrile  stage,  he 
must  be  treated  according  to  the  condition  in  which  he  is 
found.  If  his  appetite  is  poor,  vegetable  bitters,  especially 
nux  vomica,  are  indicated.  The  citrate  of  iron  and  quinine 
will,  in  such  and  most  cases,  be  found  an  admirable  remedy. 
As  soon  as  his  stomach  will  bear  it,  cod-liver  oil  beaten  up 
with  milk,  or  eggs  and  milk,  will  be  most  useful.  All 
dogs  should  be  so  fed  as  to  build  them  up,  and  given  tonic 


378  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

treatment,  as  it  is  impossible  to  say  whether  chorea  or 
paralysis  may  not  follow,  often  long  after,  apparently  mild 
cases.  On  this  the  author  can  not  too  strongly  insist, 
and  he  believes  the  subject  has  not  received  the  attention 
it  deserves.  Comparatively  few  dogs,  in  fact,  die  during 
the  acute  stage  of  the  disease ;  and  as  such  complications 
as  chorea  and  paralysis  are  scarcely  ever  recovered  from, 
it  is  all  the  more  important  to  attempt  to  prevent  them. 

The  treatment  of  the  various  and  numerous  possible 
complications  of  distemper  is  given  under  the  different  dis- 
eases, elsewhere  in  the  volume. 

A  word  of  warning  as  to  the  eyes.  They  do  not 
usually  receive  the  attention  they  deserve  during  the 
earlier  stages  of  the  disease. 

From  the  first  they  had  better  be  treated  as  recom- 
mended under  "  Ophthalmia "  (see  page  308).  It  is  all-im- 
portant to  soothe  the  conjunctival  irritation  and  keep  the 
discharge  well  washed  away,  otherwise  ulcers  of  the  cornea, 
eczema  of  the  lids,  and  a  weakened  condition  of  the  eyes 
that  may  trouble  the  patient  for  months,  if  not  for  the  rest 
of  his  life,  may  result.  The  edges  of  the  lids  should  be 
kept  smeared  with  a  little  vaseline,  and  if  to  this  a  small 
quantity  of  powdered  iodoform  be  added,  so  much  the 
better.  The  ordinary  zinc  ointment  is  also  useful. 

As  a  soothing  lotion  the  following  will  perhaps  serve 
better  than  any  other  : 

9  Acid  boracic 3  ss. ; 

Ext.  belladon.  fl 3  ss. ; 

Ext.  opii  liq 3  j  ; 

Aquae ad   5  iv, 

Ft.  mist. 


CONSTITUTIONAL  DISEASES.  379 

Sig. :  Apply  to  the  eyes,  after  they  have  been  cleansed 
with  warm  water,  frequently,  being  careful  that  none 
enters  the  dog's  mouth. 

Prevention  of  the  spread  of  the  disease  and  disin- 
fection are  of  vital  importance.  There  are  many  ways  of 
accomplishing  this.  The  plan  we  are  most  inclined  to  is 
the  following : 

1.  Have  a  small  separate  kennel  or  hospital  into  which 
cases  of  suspected  distemper  may  be  put  for  observation. 

2.  House  all  distemper  cases  during  the  whole  course 
of  the  illness  in  a  separate  kennel. 

It  is  preferable  to  have  both  of  these  comfortable  but 
cheap  structures,  that  may  be  burned  when  they  have  been 
used  a  good  deal,  or,  better,  after  each  outbreak,  if  extensive. 

No  dog  should  be  allowed  to  mingle  with  others,  how- 
ever well  he  may  seem,  so  long  as  he  has  any  discharge 
from  nose  or  eyes,  and  never  before  from  four  to  eight 
weeks  have  elapsed.  After  the  nose  and  eyes  have  been 
specially  disinfected  by  washings  or  injections  of  a  suitable 
liquid,  the  animal  should  be  well  washed  all  over,  the 
water  being  medicated  with  carbolic  acid,  cresol,  etc. 

If  the  kennels  that  have  been  used  as  hospitals  can  not 
be  burned,  they  should  be  disinfected,  and  this  should  be 
of  the  most  thorough  kind,  not  relying  on  one  method 
alone. 

The  walls  and  floors  may  be  washed  and  scrubbed  in 
the  ordinary  way,  and  afterward  with  a  strong  solution  of 
carbolic  acid,  corrosive  sublimate,  or  chlorinated  lime, 
some  hydrochloric  acid  being  added  to  the  water ;  then  let 
chlorinated  lime  be  laid  upon  the  floors,  the  building 

tightly  closed,  and  diluted  hydrochloric  acid  sprinkled  on 
26 


380  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

the  lime.     The  person  who  undertakes  this  will  not  have 
a  pleasant  task,  and  speedy  escape  will  be  necessary. 

After  this  has  gone  on  for  many  hours,  the  building 
may  be  aired,  again  sealed,  and  sulphur  burned  in  it,  the 
fumes  being  retained  for  six  to  eight  hours.  Then,  after 
lime-washing  all  over  or  repainting,  but  little  danger  of 
contagion  exists.  Of  course,  all  vessels,  etc.,  that  have 
been  near  the  patient  must  be  equally  well  disinfected. 

SURGERY  OF  THE  DOG. 

It  is  lamentable  that  even  yet  much  of  the  surgery,  so 
called,  of  the  lower  animals  consists  of  cruel  blisterings 
and  cuttings,  anaesthetics  not  being  used,  while  both  the 
instruments  and  the  method  of  operating  are  of  a  very 
primitive  character  and  quite  unworthy  of  the  present 
age. 

Our  treatment  of  the  subject  of  surgery  must  be  brief, 
for  the  same  principles  apply  as  in  the  case  of  the  other 
domestic  animals  and  of  man.  The  reduction  of  disloca- 
tions, and  especially  the  setting  of  fractures  and  all  cutting 
operations,  should  be  undertaken  only  by  those  who  have 
the  requisite  expert  knowledge  and  skill. 

However,  we  would  remind  the  veterinary  student  and 
practitioner  that  the  dog  probably  feels  pain  more  acutely 
than  any  of  our  domestic  animals,  and  that  more  than  any 
other  is  he  capable,  by  reason  of  his  intelligence,  of  co- 
operating, or  passively  assisting,  in  surgical  operations 
when  not  of  a  nature  requiring  an  anaesthetic. 

It  is  possible  for  one  with  but  little  anatomical  knowl- 
edge to  become  so  familiar  with  the  natural  feel  of  the 
joints,  etc.,  of  the  dog  that  fractures  and  dislocations  may 


SURGERY  OF  THE  DOG.  381 

be  diagnosed,  while  the  treatment  of  cuts  not  requiring 
stitches,  and  of  some  other  accidental  injuries,  is  simple. 

We  remind  the  reader  of  a  few  of  the  principles  of 
surgery  of  more  importance. 

Any  injury  to  an  animal,  whether  from  chemical  or 
mechanical  violence  or  from  heat,  is  apt  to  be  followed 
by  inflammation  with  its  attendant  evils,  as  constitutional 
disturbance,  possibly  abscess,  ulceration,  sloughing,  erysip- 
elas, and  blood-poisoning  (septicaemia).  Hence  the  im- 
portance of  attending  to  all  injuries  at  once. 

Fortunately,  repair  of  tissue  is  more  rapid  in  the  dog 
and  other  of  the  lower  animals,  and  shock  or  reaction  less, 
than  in  man. 

A  few  words  on  some  of  the  commoner  accidents  and  a 
few  of  the  operations  to  which  the  dog  must  occasionally 
be  subjected  may  now  be  offered,  but  first  of  all  in  regard 
to  the  use  of  anaesthetics. 

Anaesthesia. — Collapse  may  take  place  suddenly  during 
the  inhalation  of  chloroform,  and  from  this  the  dog  may 
not  be  recovered,  so  that  special  care  is  necessary.  Anaes- 
thetics are  rendered  much  safer  if  the  dog  be  given  half  an 
hour  previously,  either  by  the  mouth  or  hypodermically, 
a  good  dose  of  morphia.  Most  dogs  are  very  much  fright- 
ened when  an  anaesthetic  is  about  to  be  given.  Morphia 
renders  them  comparatively  indifferent. 

Many  minor  operations  can  be  well  enough  done  with 
no  further  assistance,  the  animal  feeling  little  or  no  pain. 

Ether,  under  proper  precautions,  is  fairly  safe  for  the 
dog,  and  some  anaesthetic  should  be  given,  rather  than  sub- 
ject the  animal  to  severe  and  especially  to  prolonged  pain. 

Pain  is  injurious  to  the  dog  for  the  same  reason  that 


382  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

it  is  to  ourselves,  by  causing  depression,  and  disturbance  of 
the  nutrition  generally ;  while  it  is  too  much  to  expect  of  a 
dog,  as  it  is  of  a  child,  that  it  should  comprehend  the  pur- 
pose of  the  operation,  except  in  the  vaguest  way  at  best ; 
hence  its  future  management  may  be  very  difficult.  Dogs 
are  ready  to  forget  pain  that  has  been  followed  by  plain 
relief,  but  not  cruelty.  Anaesthetics  had  better  be  pushed 
rapidly  to  complete  anaesthesia.  The  operation  should  be 
done  as  quickly  as  possible  and  the  anaesthetic  then  re- 
moved, so  that  recovery  may  be  rapid.  A  mixture  of  ether 
and  chloroform,  or  of  alcohol,  ether,  and  chloroform,  will 
be  found  on  the  whole  the  most  satisfactory,  though  always 
demanding  care  in  its  use ;  but  in  every  case  the  anaesthetic 
should  be  managed  by  one  who  is  an  expert,  and  he  should 
give  his  whole  attention  to  this,  and  not  watch  the  opera- 
tion or  anything  else.  Dogs  do  not  bear  prolonged  anaes- 
thesia of  any  kind  well. 

Antisepsis. — Within  the  last  twenty  years  surgery  has 
been  revolutionized  by  the  use  of  methods  to  prevent 
putrefaction  or  kindred  processes  due  to  germs  and  other 
causes  in  wounds. 

It  is  now  regarded  as  highly  important  that  all  instru- 
ments, and  the  hands  of  the  operator,  be  rendered  surgi- 
cally clean — i.  e.,  free  from  germs  as  well  as  all  else  that 
can  set  up  the  processes  referred  to ;  and  as  a  result, 
wounds  made  by  the  surgeon  himself  in  operating  heal 
directly  (first  intention)  very  frequently,  and  abscesses 
and  the  other  evils  referred  to  as  the  results  of  inflamma- 
tion are  rare. 

Antiseptic  dressings  are  commonly  employed.  There 
is  no  reason  why  the  dog  should  not  receive  at  the  hands 


SURGERY  OF  THE  DOG.  383 

of  the  man  that  operates  on  him  all  the  care  given  to  a 
human  being.  What  is  worth  doing  at  all  is  worth  doing 
well,  and  the  individual  who  rightly  comprehends  his  call- 
ing will  act  accordingly  when  operating  on  so  noble  a 
creature  as  the  dog. 

Formerly  solutions  of  carbolic  acid  in  water  and  in  oil 
were  much  used.  They  are  still  in  vogue,  though  weak 
solutions  of  corrosive  sublimate  are  now  preferred  by 
many. 

For  disinfecting  instruments  that  have  been  well 
washed  with  soap  and  water,  one-to-twenty  carbolic  acid 
or  one-to-five-hundred  corrosive  sublimate  will  answer. 

For  dressings,  one  to  forty  or  one  to  eighty  of  the 
former  or  one  to  two  thousand  of  the  latter  is  strong 
enough. 

Yarious  dry  antiseptic  dressings  can  now  be  purchased 
ready-made  at  chemists'  shops.  Carbolic  oil  is  not  the 
best  dressing  for  wounds  in  dogs. 

Cuts. — "When  slight  and  recent,  it  is  only  necessary  to 
make  sure  that  no  foreign  bodies — as  dust,  hair,  etc. — are  in 
the  wound,  and  that  it  is  protected  by  some  simple,  well- 
fitting  covering.  No  irritating  "salves,"  ointments,  etc., 
should  be  applied.  Avoid  all  sources  of  irritation,  the  air 
included,  and  Nature  will  do  the  rest.  It  is  needless  to 
remark,  that  after  all  injuries  the  parts  should  be  kept  as 
nearly  at  absolute  rest  as  possible.  If  the  wound  be  large 
and  gaping,  it  will  be  advisable  to  bring  the  edges  to- 
gether with  stitches  of  silk  thread.  It  is  not  usually  ne- 
cessary to  give  an  anaesthetic,  but  it  may  be  advisable  to 
give  a  hypodermic  injection  of  morphia.  The  instruments 
(needles,  etc.)  should  be  suitable  in  size,  shape,  and  sharp- 


384  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

ness,  and  the  operator  skilled.  A  bandage  should  be  so 
applied  that  very  slight  pressure  will  be  exerted. 

When  antiseptic  dressings  are  not  employed,  boric  acid 
and  a  little  iodoform  may  be  sprinkled  over  the  wound. 
The  latter  keeps  off  flies,  and  both  greatly  assist  the  heal- 
ing process. 

Wounds  of  mucous  membranes — i.  e.,  those  of  the 
mouth,  throat,  vagina,  etc. — may  be  dangerous  from  haem- 
orrhage, and  should  receive  prompt  attention.  Cold  and 
pressure  are  usually  successful  in  arresting  bleeding ;  in- 
deed, these  are  the  best  methods  of  controlling  hsemorrhage 
when  the  injured  blood-vessel  can  not  be  secured  by  a  liga- 
ture, and  may  often  supersede  ligatures. 

Sprains  and  Bruises. — These  are  common  in  so  active 
and  spirited  a  creature  as  the  dog.  The  danger  is  at  first 
inflammation,  and,  later,  weakening  of  parts;  in  fact,  a 
sprain  may  lead  to  a  permanent  weakness. 

The  treatment  indicated  is  rest,  cooling  lotions,  as  the 
lead-and-opium  wash,  iced  cloths,  etc.  If  inflammation 
has  actually  set  in,  hot  fomentations,  medicated  with  opium 
or  belladonna,  may  be  better.  After  this  stage,  and  to 
encourage  a  return  to  a  natural  condition,  any  kind  of  a 
stimulating  application — e.  g.,  ammonia,  soap,  or  turpen- 
tine liniment — will  be  useful,  with  suitable  rubbing,  mas- 
sage, graduated  exercise,  etc. 

Usually  after  the  acute  stage  bruises  do  not  give  much 
trouble  unless  abscesses  form.  The  treatment  is  much  as 
for  sprains. 

Burns  and  Scalds. — When  large,  these  are  always  liable 
to  be  followed  by  serious  consequences. 

The  indication  is  to  allay  pain  by  opiates  internally, 


SURGERY  OF  THE  DOG.  $85 

and  exclusion  of  the  air  externally  by  some  covering  ap- 
plied over  the  seat  of  injury. 

Scalds  are  usually  worse  than  burns.  Covering  the 
part  with  dry  bicarbonate  of  sodium,  solutions  of  the  same, 
even  dry  flour  if  the  former  is  not  at  hand,  with  oil,  vase- 
line, etc.,  all  serve  to  protect  the  part  and  so  to  soothe. 
An  old  and  favorite  remedy  is  a  mixture  of  lime-water 
and  linseed  oil  or  olive  oil,  in  equal  parts.  As  the  dog 
bears  opiates  well,  a  little  of  the  fluid  extract  of  opium 
may  be  added  to  the  dressings  at  first,  but  should  not  be 
continued. 

Should  suppuration  follow  or  abscesses  form,  poultices 
may  be  required  after  evacuation  of  the  pus  by  incision 
in  the  latter  case. 

It  is  very  important  to  maintain  the  strength,  and  in 
severe  cases  to  administer  alcoholic  stimulants. 

Fractures  and  Dislocations. — The  increased  movement, 
the  crackling  or  grating  (crepitus]  of  the  ends  of  the 
broken  bone,  and  the  extreme  tenderness,  usually  suffice 
for  a  diagnosis  of  fracture. 

The  sooner  a  dislocation  is  reduced  or  a  fracture  set, 
the  less  likely  is  inflammation  to  follow.  After  a  disloca- 
tion has  been  overcome  it  is  always  necessary  to  bandage 
the  part  and  insist  on  absolute  rest. 

A  dog  will  not  often  walk  on  a  fractured  leg,  but  he 
should  not  be  allowed  to  run  freely  on  account  of  the  risk 
of  injury  to  it.  Of  the  various  dressings  for  fractured 
limbs,  splints  and  bandages,  starch,  glue,  and  plaster-of- 
Paris  bandages,  the  latter  will  usually  be  found  the  best, 
for  very  soon  the  dog  can  go  about  without  fear  of  fresh 
injury,  displacement,  or  other  source  of  danger.  It  will 


386  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

generally  be  necessary  to  get  swelling  reduced  before  they 
are  applied.  They  may  be  prepared  by  sprinkling  the 
powder  evenly  over  an  ordinary  bandage  and  rolling  it  up 
tightly.  When  applying,  water  enough  to  wet  moderately 
will  suffice,  and  some  allowance  must  be  made  for  con- 
traction in  hardening.  The  patient  must  be  watched,  and 
kept  quiet  till  the  dressing  is  dry.  An  ordinary  bandage 
should  be  first  applied,  and  a  little  cotton-wool  put  be- 
tween the  plaster  bandage  and  the  limb  at  the  upper 
and  lower  ends,  to  prevent  undue  pressure  of  the  sharp 
edges. 

After  union  is  established  an  ordinary  bandage  may 
be  worn  for  a  little  while,  and  the  dog  allowed  to  exercise 
only  in  the  yard  for  a  time.  Compound  fractures — i.  e., 
those  with  the  skin  broken — require  especial  care,  and  an- 
tiseptic dressings  are  essential. 

Cutting  Operations. — If  serious,  these  should  be  done 
under  anaesthetics  or  morphia  (cocaine  may  suffice  in  some 
cases),  and  with  every  preparation  and  all  antiseptic  pre- 
cautions. It  is  not  usually  necessary  to  anaesthetize  before 
opening  an  abscess  unless  deep  seated,  but  the  knife  used 
should  be  very  sharp  and  the  incision  decided. 

Tumors  may  require  removal  if  they  press  on  vital 
parts,  grow  rapidly,  are  unsightly,  or  if  small  but  malig- 
nant— i.  e.,  injurious  to  the  health  of  the  animal  and  very 
apt  to  involve  adjacent  parts. 

In  any  cutting  operation  of  this  kind  the  question  of 
haemorrhage  is  to  be  carefully  weighed.  About  the  neck 
and  breast  there  is  considerable  danger  of  bleeding.  On 
the  other  hand,  some  tumors  may  be  "  shelled  out,"  when 
superficial,  with  little  trouble  or  danger. 


SURGERY  OF  THE  DOG.  387 

Castration  and  Spaying. — It  is  impossible  to  predict 
what  effect  on  the  physical  and  psychic  nature  of  the  dog 
these  operations  may  have.  After  either,  the  subject  may 
be  little  more  than  a  useless,  animated  mass  of  flesh,  un- 
worthy the  name  of  "  dog."  The  author  would  not  allow 
any  dog  he  owned  to  be  thus  operated  on,  nor  could  he  be 
induced  to  perform  it  except  when  the  parts  are  diseased ; 
and  he  hopes  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  every  repu- 
table veterinary  surgeon  will  take  the  same  view  of  the 
case,  and  absolutely  refuse  to  thus  run  the  risk  of  de- 
stroying the  dog  as  a  dog  merely  to  gratify  the  whim  of 
some  owner  who  wishes  to  shirk  his  responsibility.  Every 
man  should  either  not  keep  a  dog  at  all  or  treat  the  ani- 
mal as  a  dog.  A  spayed  or  castrated  dog  can  not  win  a 
prize  on  the  bench.  Both  operations  are  simple,  and  with 
due  precautions  they  may  be  safely  undertaken  when  really 
required,  but  always  antiseptically.  Before  the  testicles 
are  severed  the  spermatic  cords  should  be  each  secured 
with  a  stout  ligature,  to  prevent  haemorrhage.  The  same 
applies  to  the  ovarian  tubes. 

Umbilical  Hernia. — This  affection  arises  from  incom- 
plete closure  of  the  abdominal  walls,  allowing  the  intes- 
tine to  fall  into  the  sac  of  distended  skin.  When  small,  it 
is  likely  to  disappear  in  puppies.  If  large  or  growing 
worse,  operation  is  demanded.  The  animal  is  to  be  anaes- 
thetized, the  sac  opened,  and  the  edges  of  the  abdominal 
parietes  brought  together  by  strong  sutures  after  the  gut 
has  been  returned  within  the  abdomen.  The  skin  is  to  be 
separately  sutured  and  covered  with  antiseptic  dressings. 
It  is  well  to  keep  the  dog  quiet  for  a  couple  of  days,  and 
to  cover  the  wound  with  a  firm  pad  and  bandage. 


388  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

Other  forms  of  hernia  are  rare,  and  must  be  treated  ac- 
cording to  the  indications  in  each  case. 

POISONING. 

The  poisoning  of  dogs  is  occasionally  accidental,  but 
more  frequently  intentional,  to  the  disgrace  of  human  na- 
ture. Happily,  the  official  poisoning  of  dogs  not  licensed 
is  now  rare,  though  municipal  blundering  in  the  control 
of  dogs  is  still  common  enough. 

The  proper  method  to  destroy  dogs  that  are  im- 
pounded is  by  the  lethal  chamber — i.  e.,  by  inhalation  of 
carbonic-dioxide  gas.  "When  a  single  dog  is  to  be  killed 
for  any  reason,  it  can  be  easily  and  painlessly  done  by 
causing  the  animal  to  inhale  chloroform  without  any  ad- 
mixture of  air.  The  dog  may  be  laid  on  his  side,  the  legs 
quietly  bound  together,  and  a  sponge,  cotton  wool,  etc., 
placed  in  a  towel  formed  into  a  cone,  on  which  about  half 


FIG.  38.— METHOD  OF  CONTROLLING  A  DOG  BY  A  TAPE,  ETC.  (MAYHEW). 

an  ounce  of  cheap  chloroform  has  been  poured,  the  whole 
being  suddenly  clapped  tightly  over  his  muzzle.  In  a  few 
moments  he  will  cease  to  struggle,  but  the  cone  may  be 
left  in  position  for  some  time  longer. 


THE  ITALIAN  GREYHOUNDS  WINKS  AND  IDIOM. 
For  description,  see  page  92. 


POISONING.  389 

The  commonest  means  of  the  "poison  fiend"  are 
strychnine,  arsenic,  pounded  glass,  and  compressed 
sponge.  Arsenic  and  strychnine  can  be  purchased  in  the 


FIG.  39.— ADMINISTRATION  OF  MEDICINES  *  (MAYHEW). 

form  of  small  pills,  which  may  be  pushed  into  little  pieces 
of  meat  and  dropped  in  the  dog's  way.  Strychnine  when 
undisguised,  from  its  bitterness,  will  not  be  readily  taken  ; 
but,  as  dogs  bolt  their  food,  even  the  crystals  may  be  in- 
serted in  a  pellet  of  meat,  butter,  etc.,  and  the  deadly  dose 
be  swallowed.  Occasionally  dogs  roaming  the  woods  find 
poison  laid  out  for  wild  animals. 

Dogs  are  not  infrequently  poisoned  by  "rough  on 
rats  "  (arsenic)  or  other  similar  vermin  poisons,  and  ex- 
treme precautions  should  be  observed,  for  it  is  to  be  re- 
membered that  the  fatal  poisoning  of  a  dog  is  far  more 
effectually  secured  by  a  moderate  than  a  large  quantity 
of  the  agent.  The  stomach  may  at  once  reject  a  large 
amount,  while  a  smaller  portion  is  likely  to  be  retained 
long  enough  to  accomplish  the  fatal  purpose.  Many  a 

*  This  cut  was  accidently  omitted  from  the  section  on  the  Adminis- 
tration of  Medicines,  page  195. 


390  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

dog  lias  been  saved  from  death  by  poison  owing  to  the 
readiness  with  which  the  canine  race  vomit. 

Dogs  should  not  be  allowed  to  pass  through  fields  in 
which  Paris  green  (arsenic)  is  distributed  to  kill  potato 
bugs. 

Puppies  occasionally,  though  less  frequently  than  chil- 
dren, are  poisoned  by  the  phosphorus  of  matches. 

Chronic  poisoning  from  protracted  dosing  with  arsenic 
used  for  skin  disease,  chorea,  etc.,  may  occur. 

Arsenic  should  never  be  administered  continuously, 
and  never  longer  than  two  weeks,  without  periodical  in- 
termissions in  its  use. 

The  practice  of  drugging  dogs  with  arsenic,  etc.,  to 
keep  them  in  "  show  condition "  can  not  be  too  highly 
condemned.  Such  dogs  are  apt  to  become  so  dependent  on 
the  drug  that  their  health  quite  breaks  down  without  it. 

Practically,  cases  resolve  themselves  into  strychnine 
and  arsenical  poisoning. 

The  diagnosis  is  not  usually  difficult  to  make  out. 

Strychnine  causes  pain,  twitchings,  possibly  vomiting 
and  purging,  but  in  fatal  cases  always  characteristic  tetanic 
convulsions — i.  e.,  there  is  prolonged  spasm  of  the  mus- 
cles, with  more  or  less  frequent  relaxation.  They  are 
powerful  and  continuous  enough  to  kill  the  dog  by  ex- 
haustion, or  to  suffocate  him  by  prolonged  spasm  of  the 
muscles  of  respiration,  or  there  may  be  paralysis  of  the 
same  muscles,  which  leads  to  death  in  a  similar  way. 

Arsenic  and  many  corrosive  substances  cause  gastritis 
and  enteritis;  hence  the  burning  thirst,  vomiting,  purg- 
ing, etc.,  the  dog  usually  dying  from  exhaustion  or  col- 
lapse. 


POISONING.  391 

Treatment. — The  object  should  be,  of  course,  to  get  rid 
of  the  poison  as  soon  as  possible,  so  that  it  may  act  neither 
locally  nor  constitutionally ;  hence  emetics,  immediately 
after  the  poison  has  been  swallowed,  are  always  indicated 
unless  the  animal  is  already  vomiting  freely.  For  this 
purpose  fifteen  to  twenty  grains  of  sulphate  of  zinc,  with 
a  teaspoonful  of  wine  of  ipecac  soon  after,  will  usually 
prove  the  best.  If  this  is  not  at  hand,  baking  soda  or 
washing  soda  dissolved  in  lukewarm  water,  or  given  in 
pills,  may  answer  the  purpose;  also  mustard  in  water. 
But  every  kennel  should  be  provided  with  certain  prepa- 
rations against  poisoning,  such  as  laudanum,  zinc  sulphate, 
wine  of  ipecac,  olive  oil,  calcined  magnesia,  lime-water, 
tincture  of  iron,  bicarbonate  of  sodium,  chloral  hydrate, 
stimulants,  etc.  Yery  commonly  the  poison  will  have 
been  absorbed  before  the  dog  is  noticed  ;  then  the  object 
must  be  to  prevent  the  further  local  effects  and  keep  the 
animal  from  sinking.  Of  course,  expert  assistance  should 
always  be  sought,  but  in  the  mean  time  something  may 
be  done  by  an  intelligent  person. 

Except  in  phosphorus  poisoning,  which  is  rare,  oil 
may  always  be  given;  also  calcined  magnesia  or  lime- 
water,  as  they  are  harmless  and  protect  the  stomach  me- 
chanically, which  may  be  said  of  powdered  charcoal  and 
some  other  substances,  as  white  of  eggs,  milk  and  flour,  etc. 

In  strychnine  poisoning  an  effort  should  be  made  to 
neutralize  the  effect  of  the  agent  on  the  spinal  cord  and 
brain.  Bromide  of  potassium  and  chloral  hydrate  are  the 
best  physiological  antidotes.  Either  may  be  given  in 
twenty-grain  doses,  and,  if  they  can  not  be  administered 
by  the  mouth  or  retained  in  the  stomach,  they  should  be 


392  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

injected  in  solution  in  only  a  small  quantity  of  water,  well 
up  into  the  bowel,  and  prevented  from  returning.  The 
dose  may  be  repeated,  if  necessary,  till  at  least  a  drachm  has 
been  taken.  Hypodermic  injections  of  chloral  are  valuable. 

The  best  antidote  for  arsenic  is  the  hydrated  oxide  of 
iron,  which  can  be  quickly  prepared  by  adding  baking 
soda  or  washing  soda  to  diluted  tincture  of  iron  so  long  as 
there  is  any  effervescence — i.  e.,  till  the  neutral  point  is 
reached.  This  may  be  given  freely,  say  a  tablespooriful 
every  ten  minutes. 

When  an  animal's  strength  is  failing,  aromatic  spirits 
of  ammonia,  carbonate  of  ammonium,  or  alcohol  in  re- 
peated doses,  are  demanded. 

In  poisoning  by  mercury,  little  can  be  done  to  allay 
the  symptoms,  which  are  those  of  gastritis  and  enteritis, 
with  corrosion  of  the  mouth.  The  indications  are  to 
maintain  the  strength  of  the  patient,  as  in  other  cases.  If 
he  survives  the  acute  attack  the  mouth  should  be  treated 
with  astringent  washes.  Of  course,  the  stomach  should  be 
protected  mechanically,  as  in  other  cases. 

Carbolic-acid  poisoning  is  marked  by  twitchings,  possi- 
bly convulsions,  or  great  prostration.  The  animal  should 
be  kept  warm,  and  stimulants  given.  The  danger  of  poi- 
soning from  lotions,  ointments,  etc.,  containing  carbolic 
acid  is  not  to  be  forgotten ;  but  as  recovery  is  more  fre- 
quent than  in  poisoning  by  many  other  agents,  treatment 
is  hopeful. 

Stings. — This  subject  may  be  briefly  alluded  to  under 
the  head  of  "  Poisoning,"  as  the  danger  and  pain  of  stings 
arise  in  great  part  from  the  poison  introduced  into  the 
wound. 


DOG  SHOWS.  393 

Even  a  single  sting  is  painful  enough,  and  when  very 
numerous  an  animal's  life  is  endangered.  The  same  ap- 
plies, but  still  more  forcibly,  to  snake  -  bites.  In  the 
case  of  stings  the  best  application  is  warm  water  and 
ammonia,  sufficient  of  the  latter  to  be  very  decidedly 
tasted.  To  prevent  collapse  and  relieve  pain,  opiates  and 
aromatic  spirits  of  ammonia,  or,  in  grave  cases,  carbonate 
of  ammonium,  say  five  grains  every  half  hour  till  the  worst 
is  over,  may  be  tried.  In  snake-bite,  alcoholic  stimulants 
should  be  combined,  and  the  wound  should,  if  possible,  be 
quickly  bathed  with  warm  water  or  carbolic  acid  or  cau- 
terized with  the  solid  nitrate  of  silver,  which  we  have  be- 
fore recommended  to  be  carried  in  the  vest-pocket  in  a 
suitable  holder,  which  may  be  readily  purchased  in  any 
first-class  druggist's  shop. 

In  the  case  of  snake-bite,  it  is  well  to  put  a  ligature  in 
the  form  of  a  pocket  handkerchief  around  the  limb,  if  that 
is  the  part  injured,  above  the  wound,  to  prevent  the  return 
of  the  blood  to  the  heart  till  attempts  have  been  made 
to  remove  the  poison  (sucking  the  wound  is  the  best 
method)  or  to  prevent  its  absorption  by  cauterization  of 
the  part. 

SANITARY  AND  MEDICAL  ASPECTS   OF   DOG  SHOWS. 

The  whole  environment  of  a  dog  show  is  an  unnatural 
one  from  almost  every  point  of  view.  The  removal  from 
the  accustomed  surroundings  of  home;  the  journey  in  a 
crate,  with  its  enforced  confinement ;  the  unusual  excite- 
ment with  its  strain  on  the  nervous  system,  from  the  time 
the  dog  leaves  home  till  he  returns;  the  tioise,  loss  of 
sleep,  often  vitiated  atmosphere;  the  possibly  foul  bed, 


394:  THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 

draughts,  extremes  of  temperature,  lack  of  exercise, 
change  in  food  and  water,  and  a  hundred  things  (one  need 
not  enumerate  all) — put  a  strain  on  the  dog  that  tries  him 
sorely  even  if  there  be  no  actual  contagion  of  disease  pres- 
ent in  the  form  of  mange,  distemper,  dysentery,  etc. 

Naturally  all  this  tells  most  on  young  dogs  with  their 
less  stable  constitutions.  In  fact,  a  bench  show  is  no  place 
for  a  puppy  ;  all  the  conditions  are  against  him. 

But  every  dog  should  be  inspected  daily.  Doubtful 
cases  should  be  removed  to  a  little  hospital,  which  should 
be,  but  is  not,  attached  to  all  shows  lasting  more  than  one 
day. 

The  medical  expert  should  be  the  consultant  in  regard 
to  food,  water,  ventilation,  disinfection,  and  all  that  per- 
tains to  the  health  of  the  dogs.  The  superintendent  of 
the  show  should  be  a  man  intelligent  enough  to  see  that 
all  directions  are  carried  out  properly,  and  discerning 
enough  to  detect  cases  of  possible  sickness  in  the  absence 
of  the  medical  man. 

If  puppies  are  brought  to  a  show  at  all  they  should  re- 
ceive special  attention,  and  a  grain  of  quinine  night  and 
morning,  in  a  routine  way,  is  justifiable  and  wise. 

Early  removal  (second  day)  is  provided  for  by  many 
shows — which  is  the  next  best  thing  to  the  entire  absence 
of  puppies  from  the  first. 

Much  may  be  done,  and  should  be  done,  to  mitigate  the 
discomfort  of  the  show-bench  for  the  canine  occupants. 
Shows  are  indispensable  as  educators  of  the  public,  but  to 
the  dogs  themselves  their  attractions  are  few  and  their 
trials  and  dangers  many. 

The  points  that  require  special  attention  are  food, 


DOG  SHOWS.  395 

water,  ventilation,  a  suitable  temperature,  avoidance  of 
draughts,  exercise  at  least  twice  daily,  and  the  opportunity 
to  attend  to  the  calls  of  Nature  thrice  daily,  disinfection, 
etc.  All  dogs  should  be  carefully  examined  by  a  medical 
canine  expert  before  admission,  especially  in  regard  to  skin 
disease  and  distemper.  Doubtful  cases  should  be  detained 
in  a  separate  building  for  more  prolonged  examination 
and  observation,  and  the  doubt  should  be  given  against 
the  individual  dog,  rather  than  imperil  the  whole  canine 
gathering  when  suspicion  can  not  be  removed. 

But  the  duties  of  the  medical  expert  do  not  end  with 
the  preliminary  inspection,  which,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  is 
often  far  from  thorough.  If  it  is  found  that  many  dogs 
have  unhealthy  stools  (diarrhoea,  etc.),  the  food  should  be 
specially  examined.  Food  should  never  be  left  before  the 
animals  more  than  an  hour  at  most.  Sour  food  is  like 
poison  to  dogs.  Often  the  water  does  not  agree ;  if  so,  it 
should  be  boiled  and  cooled  quickly,  and,  if  there  be  a 
sediment,  only  the  clear  liquid  should  be  used. 

In  truth,  however,  there  are  many  things  that  only  an 
experienced  canine  medical  expert  can,  strictly  speaking, 
well  provide  against ;  and  it  would  pay  shows  to  obtain  the 
services  of  such  people,  when  they  can  be  secured,  for  al- 
most the  entire  time  while  the  exhibition  lasts. 

During  transportation  of  dogs  it  is  better  that  they  be 
fed  rather  sparingly  on  such  food  as  will  not  tend  to  relax 
the  bowels,  so  that  they  may  not  be  compelled  to  soil  their 
boxes.  All  crates  should  have  holes  in  the  bottom,  to 
allow  urine  to  run  through.  After  a  long  journey,  a  dose 
of  castor  oil,  moderate  feeding,  and  a  good  deal  of  exer- 
cise are  indicated. 
27 


396 


THE  DOG  IN  DISEASE. 


TABLE  OF  DOSES  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  DRUGS 

MENTIONED  IN  THIS  WORK,   FOE  AN  ADULT   DOG  OF  30-50  POUNDS. 
Drugs  are  arranged  very  much  according  to  their  uses. 


j.         Name  of  drug. 

Dose. 

Remarks. 

Castor  oil. 

i-2oz. 

As  a  laxative. 

Syrup  of  buckthorn. 
Fluid  ext.  of  cascara 

i-2oz! 
10-40  drops. 

As  a  laxative;  may  be  added  to 

sagrada. 

castor  oil  or  given  alone. 

Epsom  salts. 

1-4  drachms. 

As  a  laxative,  better  to  add  a  lit- 

tle powdered    ginger,  tinct.  of 

ginger,  etc. 

Flowers  of  sulphur. 

1-3  drachms. 

As  a  laxative,  may  often  be  given 

with  food. 

Cream  of  tartar. 

1-3  drachms. 

As  a  laxative. 

Compound     rhubarb 

1-2  pills. 

One  pill  given  after  the  principal 

pill. 

meal  acts  as  a  stomach  tonic. 

Compound   cathartic 

1-2  pills. 

At  night,  followed  by  a  saline  in 

pill. 

the  morning. 

Sodium  bicarbonate. 

1-2  drachms. 

With  or  without  cream  of  tartar 

or  powdered  rhubarb  as  a  laxa- 

tive. 

Calomel. 

2-4  grs. 

Always  to  be  followed  after  a  few 

hours  by  a  saline. 

Gray  powder. 

2-6  grs. 

In  doses  of  1-3  grains  good  for 
Sippies    with    deranged    liver, 
ust    watch    carefully    against 

salivation,  as  with  all  prepara- 

tions of  mercury. 

Jalap. 

8-15  grs. 

Usually  combined  with  calomel. 

Elaterium. 

*VrV  gr. 

A  powerful  purgative,  causing  wa- 

tery stools. 

Areca  nut. 

1-2  grs. 

Vermifuge  ;  to  be  given  in  doses  of 

1-2  grains  for  each  pound  weight 
of  the  dog.     Followed  by  castor 

oil  in  |-l£  hour. 

Santonin. 

1-5  grs. 

For  puppies  1-3  grains,  according 

to  age,  2-3  times  a  day  for  two 

days  ;  then  follow  with  castor  oil. 

Fl.    ext.    pink    and 

^-1  drachm. 

Better  for  puppies  in  doses  of  5-30 

senna. 

drops,  according  to  age,  and  in 

same  way  as  santonin. 

Eth.  ext.  male  fern. 

10-30  drops. 

Very  powerful   remedy  for  tape- 

worm.    Only  to  be  used  after 

areca  nut  has  been  tried.    To  be 

given  in  white  of  egg,  mucilage, 

or  oil,  and  followed  in  ^-1  hour 

bv  castor  oil. 

Oil  of  turpentine. 

10-30  drops. 

To  be  given  if  areca  nut  fails,  and 

with  same  precautions  as  male 
fern. 

TABLE  OF  DOSES  OP  THE  PRINCIPAL  DRUGS.     397 


Name  of  drug. 

Dose. 

Remarks. 

Tinct.    opii     (lauda- 

5-30 drops. 

As  a  sedative  for  relief  of  pain,  etc. 

num). 

Tinct.  opii  co.  (pare- 

£-1 drachm. 

«               «               « 

goric). 

Dover's  powder. 

5-20  grs. 

((                              44                              U 

Fl.  ext.  opium. 

5-30  drops. 

««                       «                       « 

Pil.  plumbi  cum  opio 

1  pill. 

Every  2-4  hours  for  diarrhoea. 

(lead  and  opium  pill). 

Sulphate  of  morphia. 
Spirits  of  chloroform. 

i-igr. 
10-30  drops. 

For  relief  of  pain. 
For  relief  of  pain.    Good  sedative 

in  cough  mixtures. 

Potassium  cyanide. 

A-rV  gr. 

As  a  sedative  in  cough  mixtures. 

Tinct.  hyoscyamus. 

10-30  drops. 

As  a  sedative. 

Tinct.  conium. 

10-30  drops. 

44                     44 

Tinct.  belladonna. 

3-10  drops. 

«                     {( 

Ext.  belladonna. 

Wgr. 

U                   44 

Dilute  prussic  acid. 

2-6  drops. 

The  officinal  solution  is  to  be  em- 

ployed.    Useful  in  vomiting,  etc. 

Tinct.  senega. 

15-40  drops. 

As  an  expectorant  in  chronic  bron- 

chitis. 

Wine  of  ipecac. 

3-10  drops. 

Useful    to    render    expectoration 

loose.    In  doses  of  2-5  drops  use- 

ful in  diarrhoea  and  dysentery. 

Syrup  of  Tolu. 

20-60  drops. 

Useful    in    bronchitis,    especially 

when  chronic. 

Syrup  of  squills. 

20-60  drops. 

Useful  in  bronchitis,  etc. 

Tinct.  of  squills. 

5-20  drops. 

«                                   44          '                        {< 

Tinct.  of  aconite. 

2-8  drops. 

Valuable  to  quiet  the  heart's  action 

in  fever.    Fleming's  tincture  is 

very  strong  ;  dose,  \-\  drop. 

Potassium  acetate. 

5-15  grs. 

As  a   stimulant    to    the   kidneys 

(diuretic). 

Potassium  bromide. 

5-40  grs. 

A  most  valuable  sedative;    good 

adjunct  of  opium. 

Ammonium    carbon- 

3-8 grs. 

Valuable   diffusible   stimulant   in 

ate. 

pneumonia,  etc. 

Aromatic    spirits    of 

20-60  drops. 

For  like  use. 

ammonia. 

Spirits  of  nitric  ether. 

20-60  drops. 

Stimulant  to  the  kidneys  ;    anti- 

febrile remedy. 

Tinct.  of  digitalis. 

3-15  drops. 

As  a  cardiac  tonic  best  given  in 
small  doses  and  often  (2-3  hours). 

As   a  diuretic,  in  larger  doses, 

watching  well  its  action. 

Fl.  ext.  ergot  of  rye. 

15-60  drops. 

To  increase  the  contractions  of  the 

uterus  and  arrest   haemorrhage 

therefrom.     For  the  latter  pur- 

pose the  extract  of  mistletoe  is 

preferable. 

Sulphate  of  quinine. 

1-2  grs. 

As  a  tonic  ;  7-15  grains  as  an  anti- 
pyretic to  lower  temperature. 

Sulphate  of  iron. 

}-2grs. 

As  a  tonic. 

398 


THE  DOG  IN   DISEASE. 


Name  of  drug. 

Dose, 

Remarks. 

Tinct,  of  iron. 

5-15  drops. 

Valuable  in  erysipelas,  diphtheria. 

etc. 

Citrate  of  iron  and 

3-8  grs. 

A  most  excellent  tonic  when  the 

quinine. 
Tinct  of  nux  vomica. 

3-10  drops. 

appetite  is  poor,  etc. 
Valuable    vegetable    bitter  ;    also 

stimulant  to  nervous  system. 

Ext.  of  nux  vomica. 

i-lgr. 

Good  to  combine  with  other  reme- 

dies in  pill  form. 

Tinct.  of  quassia. 
Tinct.  of  gentian. 

5-15  drops. 
5-15  drops. 

>•  Good  vegetable  bitters. 

Compound   tinct.  of 

5-15  drops. 

Mild  vegetable  bitter  ;  suits  a  weak 

gentian. 

stomach. 

Compound   tinct.   of 

5-20  drops. 

Tonic  to  stomach  and  system  gen- 

cinchona. 

erally. 

Tinct.  of  rhatany. 

10-30  drops. 

)  Internal  astringents.     Useful  in 

Tinct,  of  kino. 

10-30  drops. 

f     diarrhoea. 

Oxalate  of  cerium. 
Subnitrate  of  bismuth. 

1-4  grs. 
3-10  grs. 

j  Sedatives  to  stomach  in  vomiting. 
V     Useful  in  gastritis,  diarrhoea, 
)      dysentery. 

Pepsin. 

1-5  grs. 

Assists  digestion.     Useful  in  cer- 

tain forms  of  dyspepsia. 

Bichloride  of  mercury 

iWtr  ST' 

Given  cautiously,  it  is  a  valuable 

(corrosive  sublimate). 

alterative  to  the  nutrition. 

Wine  of  colchicura. 

8-30  drops. 

Useful  in  rheumatism  (acute). 

Iodide  of  potassium. 

1-4  grs. 

Useful  alterative   in  rheumatism, 

etc.    Dose  to  be  small  at  first, 

gradually  increased,  and  closely 

watched.    Well  to  combine  with 

a  vegetable  bitter. 

Syrup  of  the  iodide 

20-60  drops. 

Alterative.    Useful  in  debilitated 

of  iron. 

dogs   of    a   certain  class;    acts 

also  as  a  tonic. 

Liquor  arsenicalis. 

3-20  drops. 

Small  dose  at  first;  gradually  in- 

creased;   occasionally    stopped  ; 

Salicylic  acid. 

5-10  grs. 

never  given  on  an  empty  stomach. 
Useful  in  mange  as  an  ointment  ; 

also  for  foul  sores. 

Salicylate  of  sodium. 

5-15  grs. 

Best  remedy  known  for  acute  rheu- 

matism. 

Potassium  chlorate. 

5-10  grs. 

Valuable  as  a  blood  tonic,  etc.,  in 

diphtheria,  etc. 

Sodium  hyposulphite. 
Biborate   of    sodium 

3-10  grs. 
5-10  grs.  to 

Useful  in  distemper. 
Useful  as  a  lotion. 

(borax). 

1  oz.  of  water. 

Boric  (Boracic)  acid. 

5-10  grs.  to 

«           a 

1  oz.  of  water. 

Sulphate  of  zinc. 

3-15  grs.  to 

((               a 

1  oz.  of  water. 

Acetate  of  lead. 

3-15  grs.  to 

«               « 

1  oz.  of  water. 

Tannic  acid. 

3-10  grs.  to 

«               « 

1  oz.  of  water. 

TABLE  OF  DOSES  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  DRUGS.    399 


Name  of  drug. 

Dose. 

Remarks. 

Fl.  ext.  of  golden  seal. 

^-2  drachms 

Useful  as  a  lotion. 

to  1  oz.  water. 

Nitrate  of  silver. 

5-20  grs.  to 

Useful  in  purulent  ophthalmia. 

1  oz  of  water. 

Carbolic  acid. 

1-20  or  1-40 

Valuable  as  a  lotion  to  allay  irrita- 

Listerine. 

(of  water). 
5-30  drops, 

tion,  disinfect,  etc. 
Useful    in   dyspepsia  with    flatu- 

internally. 

lency.     Some  prefer  it  to  car* 

bolic  acid  in  lotions,  etc.  ;  non* 

poisonous. 

Phenacetin,     antipy- 

2-10  grs. 

To  reduce  temperature. 

rin,  etc. 

Caffein. 

i-lgr. 

Stimulant. 

Hydrochlorate  of  apo- 

&-&  gr. 

Expectorant. 

morphia. 

INDEX. 


Abdominal  organs,  cancer  of,  269. 
Abscess,  permeal,  274. 

opening  of,  386. 

Absence  of  teeth  in  Turkish  dog,  9. 
Acute  cystitis,  278. 
Acute  laryngitis,  216. 
Affections  of  the  mouth,  247. 

of  the  nerves,  328. 
Airedale  terrier,  56,  152. 
Alimentary  tract,  diseases  of,  244. 

structure  of,  244. 
Amaurosis,  311. 
Amblyopia,  311. 
Anaemia,  239. 
Anaesthetics,  381. 
Anatomy  of  the  dog,  6. 
Anatomy  and  physiology  of  the 

eye,  302. 
Aneurism,  242. 
Animal  body,  10. 
Antisepsis,  382. 

Anus,  diseased  condition  around, 
271. 

growths  around,  274. 
Apoplexy,  321. 
Appetite,  a  capricious,  252. 
Application  to  stimulate  growth 

of  hair,  344. 

Arsenic,  when  to  be  used,  327. 
Artificial  selection,  examples    of, 
60. 

heat,  99. 
Asthma,  230, 


Autopsies,   directions  in  making, 

203. 
Autopsies    and  morbid    anatomy, 

201. 

Balanitis,  281. 

Barrenness,  136. 

Barzoi,  37. 

Bassethound,  description  of,  43. 

illustration  of,  52. 
Beagle,  description  of,  41. 

illustration  of,  48. 
Bedlington  terrier,  57,  160. 
Bench-show  form,  61. 
Black  Newfoundland  dog,  78,  328. 
Black-and-tan  terrier,  50,  88. 
Blain,  250. 

Blood,  diseases  of,  237. 
Bloodhound,  description  of,  38. 

illustration  of,  40. 
Blood-vessels,  diseases  of,  242. 
Bob-tailed  sheep  dog,  description 
of,  78. 

illustration  of,  320. 
Brain,  disease,  311. 

injuries  to,  327. 
Breeding,  125. 

Breeds  of  dogs  figured  on  Egyp- 
tian monuments,  3. 
Bronchitis,  221. 

capillary,  221. 

verminous,  222. 
Bronchocele,  243. 


402 


INDEX. 


Brood  bitch,  care  of  the,  135. 

after  whelping,  care  of  the,  148. 
Bulldog,  description  of,  81. 

illustration  of,  344. 
Bull-terrier,  description  of,  55. 

illustration  of,  136. 
Burns  and  scalds,  384. 

Calculus,  renal,  cystic,  279. 
Cancer  of  abdominal  organs,  269. 
Canker,  296. 
Capricious  appetite,  252. 
Care  of  the  brood  bitch,  135. 

after  whelping,  148. 
Care  of  the  dog's  skin,  117. 

of  the  stud  dog,  134. 
Castration,  387. 
Cataract,  311. 
Catarrh,  nasal,  232. 
Causes  of  disease,  182. 
Characteristics  of  the  dog,  psychic, 

15. 

Chesapeake  Bay  dog,  74. 
Chest  jacket,  226. 
Chlorate  of  potassium,  228. 
Choice  of  puppies,  145. 
Chorea,  325. 
Chronic  cystitis,  279. 

hepatitis,  268. 
Classification  of  dogs,  18. 
Cleanliness,  143. 
Clubs,  22. 

Clumber  spaniel,  71,  240. 
Clydesdale  terrier,  58. 
Cocker  spaniel,  69,  224. 
Colic,  256-260. 
Collie,  the  rough,  description  of,  77. 

illustration  of,  312. 

the  smooth,  description  of,  77. 
Color  varieties,  92. 
Common  pathology,  213. 
Complications  incident  to  parturi- 
tion, 288. 

Composition  of  milk,  percentage, 
153. 


Conjunctivitis,  306. 
Constipation,  149,  254. 
Constitutional  diseases,  359. 
Convalescence,  215. 
Convulsions,  etc.,  318. 
Cornea,  opacities  of,  310. 

inflammation  of,  310. 
Crossing  of  dogs,  5. 
Cuts,  383. 

Cutting  operations,  386. 
Cuvier's  classification,  18. 
Cystic  calculus,  279. 
Cystitus,  acute,  278. 

chronic,  279. 

Dachshund,  description  of,  43. 

illustrations  of,  56,  60. 
Dalmatian,  description  of,  74. 

illustration  of,  280. 
Dandie  Dinmont  terrier,  the,  56. 
Darwin  on  the  dog,  4. 
Deafness,  301. 
Deerhound,  description  of,  36. 

illustration  of,  16. 
Degeneration  of  the  liver,  268. 
Description  of  disease,  206. 
Determination  of  age,  171. 
Dhole,  the,  19. 
Diagnosis,  190. 

in  influenza,  307. 
Diarrhoea,  253. 

of  enteritis,  263. 
Diet  and  care  of  the  sick,  198. 

in  eczema,  338. 

Differential  diagnosis  between  colic, 
gastritis,  etc.,  260. 

of  meningitis,  323. 
Digestive  organs,  functional  disor- 
ders of  the,  251. 

inflammatory  affections  of,  257. 
Dingo,  19. 
Diphtheria,  361. 

Discharges  from  the  genitals,  294. 
Diseased    condition    around    the 
anus,  271. 


INDEX. 


403 


Diseases  of  the  alimentary  tract, 
244. 

of  the  blood  and  circulatory  sys- 
tem, 237. 

of  the  blood-vessels,  242. 

of  the  ear,  295. 

of  the  eye,  302. 

of  the  genital  organs,  280. 

of  the  lymphatics  and  of  certain 
glands.  243. 

of  the  nervous  system,  312. 

of  the  protective  apparatus  of 
the  eye,  305. 

of  the  respiratory  organs,  209. 

of  the  skin,  329. 

of  the  skin,  application  of  reme- 
dies, 335. 

of  the  skin,  diagnosis  and  varie- 
ties, 331. 

of  the  skin,  pathological  condi- 
tion and  symptoms  of,  330. 

of  the  skin,  principles  of  treat- 
ment, 33C. 

of  the  urinary  system,  275. 

of  the  veins,  242. 
Disinfection,  200. 
Dislocation    of    the    eyeball,  312, 

385. 

Disposition  and  stamina,  133. 
Distemper,  367. 

causation,  368. 

complications,  372. 

diagnosis,  371. 

nature  of,  368. 

prevention  of,  369. 

prognosis,  372. 

symptoms,  371. 

treatment,  374. 
Dog,  the,  in  health,  1. 

absence  of  teeth  in  Turkish,  9. 

anatomy  of,  6. 

classification  of,  18. 

development  of,  171. 

in  disease,  178. 

intelligence  of,  16. 


Dog,  the,  normal  temperature  of, 

184. 

origin  and  history  of,  1. 
physical  constitution  resembling 

man's,  17. 

psychic  characteristics  of,  15. 
structure  compared  with   man, 

7. 

wild  and  half  reclaimed,  19. 
zoological  position  of,  6. 
Dog  shows,  393. 

Dogs  figured  on  Egyptian  monu- 
ments, 3. 

hunting  by  scent,  etc.,  38. 
hunting  chiefly  by  the  eye,  etc., 

34. 

in  health,  management  of,  94. 
Domesticated  dogs,  38. 
Dose,  rule  for,  194. 
Draughts,  214. 
Dropsy,  362. 
Drugs    and  their  administration, 

192. 

Duke-Rhasbe  blood,  68. 
Dumb  rabies,  318. 
Dysentery,  261. 

Ear,  diseases  of,  295. 
Eczema,  333. 

English  greyhound,  description  of, 
34. 

illustration  of,  10. 
Enteritis,  260. 
Environment,  6. 

Epileptic  form,  convulsions,  319. 
Ergot  of  rye,  291. 
Erysipelas,  359. 

Esquimau  dog,  description  of,  80. 
Excretion,  117. 
Exercise  and  occupation,  114. 

and  training  of  puppies,  161. 

of  puppies,  169. 
External  parasites,  356. 
Eye,  diseases  of,  302. 

lotion,  309. 


•  404 


INDEX. 


Favus,  332. 
Feeding,  101. 

the  nursing  bitch,  149. 

packs  of  hounds,  etc.,  111. 

puppies,  156. 

toy  dogs,  112. 

summarized,  113. 
Fever,  187. 

post-partum,  291. 
Field  form,  61. 
Fissure  of  the  nipple,  293. 
Fistula  in  ano,  274. 
Fits,  319. 
Fleas,  356. 

Follicular  mange,  332. 
Food  in  the  mouth,  13. 
Foodstuffs,  102. 
Foster-mother,  147. 
Foxhound,    description    of     the, 

39. 
Fox-terrier,  the,  48. 

illustrations  of,  64,  72. 
Fractures  and  dislocations,  385. 
Functional   disease   of   the  liver, 
266. 

disorders  of  the  digestive  organs, 
251. 

Gastritis,  260. 

General  principles  of  disease,  178. 
Genital  organs,  280. 
Goitre,  243. 

Goitre  (bronchocele),  243. 
Granular  eyelids,  310. 
Great  Dane,  43. 

Greyhound,    English,    description 
of,  34. 

illustration  of,  10. 
Greyhound,  Italian,  description  of, 
92. 

illustration  of,  388. 
Grooming,  123. 
Grooming  for  the  skin,  159. 
Growths  around  the  anus,  274. 
Gun-shyness,  168. 


Haemorrhage,  294. 
Hair,  loss  of,  331. 
Harrier,  41. 
Haw,  inflamed,  306. 
Heart  disease,  240. 
Hepatitis,  267. 
chronic,  267. 
Hernia,  387. 

Hints  as  to  formulae  and  adminis- 
tration of  medicine,  234. 
History  of  the  dog,  1. 
Housing  of  dogs,  96. 
Hydrocephalus,  324. 
Hydrophobia,  313. 
Hyperaemia,  182. 
Hypertrophy,  241. 

Inbreeding.  132. 
Incubation  of  rabies,  314. 
Inflamed  haw,  306. 
Inflammation,  181. 

and  abscess    of    the    lachrymal 
gland,  306. 

of  the  middle  ear,  300. 

of  the  tongue,  250. 

of  the  womb,  285. 
Inflammatory  diseases,  212. 

affections  of  the  digestive   or- 
gans, 257. 
Influenza,  215. 
Injuries  to  the  brain,  327. 
Instruments  and  the  ear,  298. 
tntelligence  of  the  dog,  16. 
[nternal  parasites  and  worms,  345. 
[ntestinal  obstruction,  270. 
[ntussusception,  205. 
[rish  terrier,  49,  80. 

water  spaniel,  72,  256. 
Iritis,  310. 

^regularities  of  the  bowels,  253. 
[rritability  of  the  skin,  344. 
Italian  greyhound,  92,  388. 

Jaundice,  266. 
Kennel  mixture,  343. 


INDEX. 


405 


Lachrymal  ducts,  gland,  306. 

Laryngitis,  216. 

Laverack  strain  of  setters,  68. 

Lice,  353. 

Life-history  of  worms,  348. 

Liver,  functional  diseases  of,  266. 

degeneration  of,  268. 

organic  affections  of,  267. 
Llewellin  strain  of  setters,  68. 
Local  affections  of  the  nasal  pas- 
sages, 232. 

Lock-jaw  (tetanus),  324. 
Loss  of  hair,  344. 
Lotion  for  the  ear,  299. 
Loup-Loup  dog,  78. 

Malpresentations,  289. 
Maltese  terrier,  58. 
Mammary  glands,  292. 
Management  of  dogs  in  health,  94. 

of  puppies,  158. 
Mange,  follicular,  332. 

sarcoptic,  332. 
Mastiff,  description  of,  83. 

illustration  of,  352. 
Mating,  131. 
Meningitis,  322. 

Method  of  studying  the  dog  in  dis- 
ease, 189. 

administration  of  medicine,  195. 
Metritis,  285. 
Mexican  hairless  dog,  93. 
Milk  as  food,  106. 

in  relation  to  worms,  351. 

percentage  composition  of,  153, 

secretion  of,  144. 

teeth,  173. 
Morbid  growth,  284. 
Mouth,  affections  of,  247. 

Nasal  catarrh,  232. 
Nephritis,  279. 
Nerves,  affections  of,  328. 
Nervous    system,    structure     and 
functions,  diseases  of,  312. 


Neuralgia.  328. 

Newfoundland,  black,  description 

of,  78. 

illustration  of,  328. 
other  varieties,  79. 
Normal  temperature  of  the  dog, 
184. 

Obstruction,  254,  270. 

Ophthalmia,  307. 

Organic  affections    of    the    liver, 

267. 

Origin  and  history  of  the  dog,  1. 
Otitis  media,  300. 
Otterhound,  42. 
Ozaena,  234. 

Paisley  terrier,  58. 

Paralysis,  321. 

Paralytic  form  of  rabies,  317. 

Paresis,  321. 

Pariah,  the,  19. 

Parturition,  complications  inci- 
dent to,  288. 

Pasteur's  inoculations,  314. 

Pastoral  dogs,  etc.,  76. 

Pathology  in  respiratory  diseases, 
213. 

Pedigree  in  breeding,  132, 

Percentage  composition  of  milk, 
153. 

Percussion  and  auscultation,  219. 

Perineal  abscess,  etc.,  274. 

Period  of  gestation,  137. 

Peritonitis,  262. 

Perverted  appetite  in  dogs,  315. 

Pharyngitis,  251. 

Physical  constitution  resembling 
man's,  17. 

Physiology  of  the  dog,  11. 

Piles,  272. 

Plethora,  240. 

Pleurisy,  217. 

Pneumonia,  222. 

Pointing  instinct,  59. 


406 


INDEX. 


Poisoning,  388. 

Polypus,  301. 

Pomeranian,   the,   description   of, 

78. 
Poodle,  description  of,  75. 

illustration  of,  300. 
Post-partum  fever,  291. 
Preparation  for  whelping,  140. 
Presence  of  a  fifth  toe  in  large 

breeds,  9. 

Prevalence  of  disease,  206. 
Prognosis  in  respiratory  diseases, 

213. 
Prolapse  of  the  rectum,  271. 

of  the  vagina,  284. 
Prophylaxis  in  respiratory  diseases, 

213. 
Psychic  characteristics  of  the  dog, 

15. 
Pug  dog,  description  of,  90. 

illustration  of,  370. 
Pulse,  the,  187. 
Puppies,  exercise  and  training  of, 

161. 

feeding,  156. 
management  of,  158. 
rearing,  150. 
washing,  160. 
weaning,  152. 

Quality,  26. 

Rabies  (hydrophobia),  313. 
dumb,  318. 
incubation  in,  314. 
paralytic  form,  31 7. 
Rearing  of  puppies,  150. 
Rectum,  prolapse  of,  271. 
Regions,  anatomical,  of  the  dog, 

26. 

illustration  of,  29. 
Relative    prevalence    of    disease, 

208. 

Remedies  and  their  modes  of  use, 
192. 


Renal  calculus,  279. 
Respiration,  212. 
Retention  of  urine,  276. 
Retrievers,  73,  264. 
Retrieving,  167. 
Reversion,  131. 
Rheumatism,  acute,  365. 

chronic,  muscular,  367. 
Rickets,  363. 
Ringworm,  332. 

plant  causing,  343. 
Rough  collie,  77,  312. 
Russian  wolfhound  or  barzoi,  32, 37. 

St.  Bernard,  description  of,  86. 

illustration  of,  368. 
Salivary  glands,  248. 
Salivation,  251. 
Sarcoptic  mange,  332. 
Schipperke,  the,  92,  392. 
Scotch  terrier,  the,  53,  104. 
Secretion  of  milk,  144. 
Sense  organs,  14. 
Setter  and  pointer  form,  62. 
Shedding  of  the  teeth,  175. 
Sheep  dogs,  76. 
Skin,  care  of  the,  117. 

diseases  of,  329. 

grooming,  159. 

structure  and  functions  of,  117. 
Skye  terrier,  53,  120. 
Spaniels,  69. 

the  clumber,  71,  240. 

the  cocker,  69,  224. 

the  English  water,  73. 

the  field,  69,  216. 

the  Irish  water,  72,  256. 

the  toy,  91,  384. 
Spasms,  319. 
Spaying,  387. 

Specialism  in  breeding  dogs,  22. 
Spitz,  the,  78. 
Sprains  and  bruises,  384. 
Squint,  312. 
Standards,  21. 


INDEX. 


407 


Standards,  further  considered,  25. 

summary  of  views  on,  32. 
Stings,  392. 

Stonehenge's  classification,  18. 
Structure  of   dog  compared  with 

man's,  7. 

Stud  dog,  care  of  the,  134. 
Summary  of  views  on  standards, 

etc.,  32. 
Surgery  of  the  dog,  380. 

Table  of  doses  of  drugs,  396. 
Tape-worms,  346. 
Teeth,  the,  249. 

diseases  of,  249. 

milk,  173. 

shedding  of,  175. 

Temperature    of  whelping   apart- 
ment, 143. 

normal,  of  the  dog,  184. 
Terriers,    general     physical     and 
psychic  characteristics  of,  45. 

Airedale,  56,  152. 

Bedlington,  57,  160. 

black-and-tau,  50,  88. 

bull,  55,  136. 

Clydesdale,  58. 

Dannie  Dinmont,  56. 

fox,  48,  64,  72. 

Irish,  49,  80. 

Maltese,  58. 

other  breeds  of,  55. 

Paisley,  58. 

Scotch,  53,  104. 

Skye,  53,  120. 

Welsh,  56,  144. 

white     English     (see-black-and 
tan),  50,  88. 

Yorkshire,  52,  96. 
Tetanus,  324. 

Tongue,  inflammation  of,  250. 
Tonic  treatment,  236. 
Toy  dogs,  89. 
Toy  spaniels,  description  of,  91. 

illustration  of,  384. 


Treatment  of  fits,  319. 
Treatment  of  the  bitch  after  con- 
ception, 137. 
Tuberculosis,  231. 
Tumors,  386. 
Typical  animal,  a,  26. 

Ulcers  of  the  cornea,  309. 

Umbilical  hernia,  387. 

Urinary  system,  diseases  of  the, 

275. 

Urine  of  the  dog,  275. 
Urine,  retention  of,  276. 
Use  of  instruments,  the,  290. 

Vagina,  prolapse  of,  284. 
Vaginitis,  284. 
Variations,  9. 
Venous  congestion,  182. 
Ventilation,  139. 
Verminous  bronchitis,  222. 
Vertigo,  321. 
Vomiting,  251. 
Vulvitis,  284. 

Warts,  247. 

Washing  the  dog,  122. 

puppies,  152. 

Watch-dogs  and  house-dogs,  80. 
Weaning  puppies,  152. 
Welsh  terrier,  the,  56. 
Whelping,  141. 
Whippet,  description  of,  93. 
Wild    and    half  -  reclaimed    dogs, 

20. 
Wild  African  dogs,  20. 

American  dogs,  20. 
Wolfhound,  Irish,  description  of, 
36. 

illustration  of,  24. 
Wolfhound,  Russian,    description 
of,  37. 

illustration  of,  32. 
Womb,  inflammation  of,  285, 


408 

Worms,  345. 
diagnosis,  351. 
kinds  of,  348. 
prevention  of,  351. 
round,  347. 
symptoms  of,  350. 


INDEX. 


Worms,  tape,  346. 
treatment  of,  352. 

Yorkshire  terrier,  52,  96. 
Zoological  position  of  the  dog,  6. 


(2) 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 
Bl 


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1952  LU 


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JAN  2 


28 


MAY  30  '67  - 

DEPT. 

!     . 

CIK-    DEC  6     1979 


g£C.Cl(t 

t  JUH  0  2  1999 


LD  21-95m-ll,'50(2877sl6)476 


YC  20453 


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